In early June, tens of thousands of Microsoft users experienced significant service disruptions that impacted their ability to use essential remote work tools like Outlook email and OneDrive file-sharing apps. The cause of these disruptions was initially unclear, but Microsoft has now identified it as a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack carried out by a cybercriminal group called “Anonymous Sudan,” which has alleged Russian ties. The attack lasted over two hours and temporarily impacted the availability of some services.
According to a statement from Microsoft, the attackers focused on disruption and publicity. They likely utilized rented cloud infrastructure and virtual private networks to launch the attack from botnets of zombie computers worldwide. Microsoft linked the attackers to a group known as “Storm-1359,” but a representative from the company stated that Anonymous Sudan was responsible for the attack.
Fortunately, there is no evidence that customer data was accessed or compromised during the attack. Microsoft has taken measures to protect against future DDoS attacks, including enhancing its Azure Web Application Firewall. However, cybersecurity experts warn that this successful attack may embolden other groups to attempt similar actions.
“While DDoS attacks primarily disrupt website accessibility without penetrating them, they can still have a significant impact on millions of people relying on popular tech services,” explained Gil Messing, chief of staff at software and security firm Check Point.
Steven Adair, president of cybersecurity firm Volexity, expressed concern about the potential for copycat attacks. He hopes that the attention garnered by Anonymous Sudan’s success does not inspire others to follow suit.
As of now, Microsoft has not provided any further details regarding these attacks.
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