Russian Hackers Steal U.S. Government Emails Through Microsoft Breach

CISA issues emergency directive as Russian-backed group Midnight Blizzard exploits Microsoft systems to access federal emails.

Russian government-backed hackers, identified as Midnight Blizzard, have successfully infiltrated Microsoft's email systems, compromising U.S. federal agency communications.
CISA has issued an emergency directive requiring affected agencies to reset credentials and secure their systems by May 1.
The breaches, first detected in January, involved sophisticated techniques such as brute-force password attacks and exploitation of authentication details.
Microsoft is cooperating with CISA to provide metadata and assistance in investigating the breaches, which pose significant security risks.
The ongoing cybersecurity threat highlights systemic vulnerabilities in Microsoft's security protocols, prompting urgent calls for enhanced safeguards.