European businesses fell victim to a malicious attack by Russian hackers who exploited an Outlook vulnerability!
Microsoft has warned of a potentially devastating vulnerability that could be exploited without the user being aware, and had already been used to target several businesses in Europe.
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In response to Russian hackers who exploited a critical Outlook vulnerability to target European organizations, Microsoft has released a patch that will protect against future attacks.
A thorough investigation conducted by the company identified a “ Russian- based threat actor ” as responsible for the breach and attack on various organizations in Europe , from government institutions to transportation and energy infrastructure. The analysis further reveals that these malicious actors targeted military sectors with their attack.
According to the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, this bug was rated as a “critical” security risk with an alarming rating of 9.8 out of 10! It is imperative that everyone who uses Outlook for Windows be aware: all supported versions are affected by this vulnerability.
Windows said attackers could exploit the vulnerability by sending a "specially crafted email" that automatically activates when received.
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“This could lead to exploitation before the email is viewed in the preview window,” Microsoft said in a security update. “External attackers could send specially crafted emails that would cause the victim to connect to an external UNC location under the attackers.”
This week, Microsoft released a patch to fix the breach and encouraged all Outlook customers to update their systems for maximum security. In addition, it has contacted all affected consumers about the issue.
The company credited the Ukrainian Computer Emergency Response Team for detecting and notifying them of the security breach.
Since April 2022, hackers affiliated with Russia have exploited the security flaw to attack 15 customers, a report seen by CNN reveals.
As the crisis in Ukraine continues, there are clear concerns about cyberattacks by Kremlin- backed hacking groups .
Last November, the European Parliament website faced a highly sophisticated cyberattack that experts assume was orchestrated by a pro-Russian hacking group.
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On its Telegram channel , the pro-Russian organization Killnet proudly declared that it was responsible for a hostile attack against several European countries , which it declared as a “war.”
In June 2020, Microsoft research revealed a wave of Russian cyberattacks targeting Ukraine's allies, including the US and NATO countries , as well as the Baltic states.
Information source: siliconrepublic.com
