Latest news with #Chinese-backed
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Microsoft hack fallout worsens: These countries were hit the hardest in global cyber meltdown
A serious Microsoft SharePoint vulnerability has led to breaches in hundreds of organizations around the world, making the global cybersecurity crisis even worse. This attack is huge and is spreading quickly. It affects everything from health departments to nuclear agencies. Again, Chinese state-sponsored hackers are being blamed. The major security hole in Microsoft SharePoint has led to a huge number of cyberattacks that have affected more than 400 businesses around the world. The United States, Mauritius, Jordan, and South Africa were some of the countries that were hit the hardest. 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Experts say that the damage could get worse as more groups take advantage of the same weakness, as more and more people are worried about Chinese-backed hacking groups. According to one research firm, the number of businesses and organizations impacted by a security flaw in Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) SharePoint servers is growing quickly, with the number of victims more than six times increasing in a matter of days. Live Events According to estimates from Eye Security , a Dutch cybersecurity firm that detected an early wave of the attacks last week, hackers have gained access to approximately 400 government organizations, businesses, and other organizations. Could classified data be at risk? According to its earlier estimate, which it gave to Bloomberg News on Tuesday, that is an increase from about 60. The majority of victims are in the United States, followed by Mauritius, Jordan, South Africa, and the Netherlands, according to the security firm. According to a previous Bloomberg report, one of those compromised was the National Nuclear Security Administration , the US organization in charge of creating and managing the country's nuclear weapons stockpile, as per a report by Bloomberg. According to someone with knowledge of the situation, the SharePoint bugs also affected the National Institutes of Health. "The Department and its security teams are actively engaged in monitoring, identifying, and mitigating all risks to our IT systems posed by the Microsoft SharePoint vulnerability," stated Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, as per a report by Bloomberg. He added that the department is working with Microsoft and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and that there is currently no indication that any information was compromised due to this vulnerability. The NIH breach was previously reported by The Washington Post. ALSO READ: Is the Antonov AN-24 safe? Here's everything to know about the plane that crashed in Russia, killing 49 How are governments responding to the escalating cyber threat? Although its systems and websites were functioning normally, South Africa's National Treasury stated that it was contacting Microsoft for assistance after finding malware on its network. Amid increased tensions between Washington and Beijing over international security and trade, the hacks are among the most recent significant breaches that Microsoft has attributed, at least in part, to China. Over the course of several decades, China has been the target of numerous US criticisms for alleged government and corporate secret theft campaigns. Threat analyst Sveva Scenarelli of Recorded Future Inc. said state-backed hackers typically target significant cybersecurity flaws, such as the SharePoint vulnerability, in waves. After the vulnerability is identified, they will start using it more broadly after initially launching covert, targeted hacks. After gaining access, individual threat groups are able to identify compromised organizations and rank those that are most important for further action. Scott Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary, hinted that a Wednesday interview with Bloomberg Television would touch on the SharePoint hacks. By gaining access to SharePoint servers and stealing keys, hackers can potentially gain deep access into compromised networks and steal sensitive information by posing as users or services. Although Microsoft has released patches to address the vulnerabilities, researchers warned that hackers might have already gained access to a large number of servers. Microsoft claimed that the attacks were carried out by Chinese state-sponsored hackers known as Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon. They were also exploited by another Chinese hacker group, Storm-2603, according to Microsoft, as per a report by Bloomberg. Tens of thousands of Microsoft Exchange servers were compromised by an alleged Chinese operation in 2021, and Microsoft Exchange was the target of another alleged Chinese attack in 2023. Microsoft has frequently accused China of being responsible for significant cyberattacks. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said that cybersecurity is a problem that all nations face and that it should be solved cooperatively and through communication. Microsoft's hacker collective Linen Typhoon was initially discovered in 2012 and is primarily concerned with stealing intellectual property from government, defense, strategic planning, and human rights organizations. FAQs Which countries were the most impacted by the Microsoft hack ? The United States was the hardest hit, followed by Mauritius, Jordan, South Africa, and the Netherlands. Who is thought to be behind the cyberattacks? Microsoft attributes the attacks to Chinese state-sponsored groups such as Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon.
New York Post
7 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Microsoft says China-backed cybercriminals hacked into US nuclear weapons agency
Microsoft has warned that Chinese state-sponsored hackers have breached its SharePoint software used by the US agency responsible for maintaining and modernizing the nation's stockpile of nuclear weapons, according to a report. The National Nuclear Security Administration, a semi-autonomous agency that operates under the auspices of the Department of Energy, was among the targets of a hack allegedly carried out by Chinese-backed cybercriminals, according to Bloomberg News. A Dutch cybersecurity company estimates that around 400 government agencies in the US, Mauritius, Jordan, South Africa and the Netherlands were impacted by the hack, according to Bloomberg News. Advertisement 4 A US government agency responsible for maintaining the nation's stockpile of nuclear weapons was reportedly targeted in a hack by Chinese-backed cybercriminals. U.S. DepartmentofDefense The Dutch firm, Eye Security, previously estimated that just 60 entities were impacted. A source familiar with the situation told the financial news site on Tuesday that no sensitive or classified information was known to have been stolen in the hack, which was made possible by exploiting a flaw in Microsoft's SharePoint document management software. 'On Friday, July 18th, the exploitation of a Microsoft SharePoint zero-day vulnerability began affecting the Department of Energy,' an agency spokesman told Bloomberg News. Advertisement 'The department was minimally impacted due to its widespread use of the Microsoft M365 cloud and very capable cybersecurity systems. A very small number of systems were impacted. All impacted systems are being restored.' The breaches have been ongoing since at least July 7, according to Adam Meyers, senior vice president at CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity firm that has partnered with Microsoft to ward off potential cyber threats. 'The early exploitation resembled government-sponsored activity, and then spread more widely to include hacking that 'looks like China',' Meyers told Bloomberg News. CrowdStrike's investigation into the campaign remains ongoing. Advertisement 4 In a blog post, Microsoft identified two reputed cybercriminal organizations, Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon, in the alleged scheme. Bloomberg via Getty Images The Post has sought comment from the NNSA, Microsoft, CrowdStrike and Eye Security. In a blog post, the tech giant identified two reputed cybercriminal organizations, Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon, in the alleged scheme to exploit flaws in Microsoft's software that is used by customers on their own networks rather than in the more secure cloud. These customers are at risk of having their data compromised by the hackers, according to Microsoft, which also fingered a third Chinese-based organization, Storm-2603, as doing the same. Advertisement Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! Microsoft SharePoint is a platform used to store, organize, share and manage internal web content across an organization — similar to intranets. The NNSA wasn't the only agency that was targeted in the alleged cyberattack. Among the victims are the US Department of Education, Florida's Department of Revenue and the Rhode Island General Assembly, which is the Ocean State's legislative body. Internationally, governments in Europe and the Middle East have also been targeted. Cybersecurity researchers have detected breaches on more than 100 servers, representing at least 60 victims across various sectors, including energy, consulting and academia. 4 The National Nuclear Security Administration is a semi-autonomous agency that operates under the auspices of the Department of Energy. Jarretera – Microsoft has patched the vulnerabilities in recent days, but the company expressed concern that hackers will continue to exploit these flaws in future attacks. 'We have high confidence that threat actors will continue to integrate them into their attacks,' Microsoft stated in its blog post. Advertisement 'China opposes and fights hacking activities in accordance with the law. At the same time, we oppose smears and attacks against China under the excuse of cybersecurity issues,' a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said in a statement. Cybersecurity experts have expressed grave concerns about the severity of the threat. Michael Sikorski, chief technology officer and head of threat intelligence for Unit 42 at Palo Alto Networks Inc., described the situation as a 'high-severity, high-urgency threat.' Advertisement He emphasized the risks posed by SharePoint's deep integration with Microsoft's ecosystem, which includes services like Office, Teams, OneDrive and Outlook — all of which contain valuable data for attackers. 4 This archive picture shows the first B61-13 HiFi nuclear bomb unit completed at Sandia National Labs in Albuquerque earlier this year. Craig Fritz/Sandia National Labs / SWNS Eye Security reported that the flaws allow hackers to access SharePoint servers and steal authentication keys, enabling them to impersonate users or services even after patches are applied. 'We estimate that the real number might be much higher as there can be many more hidden ways to compromise servers that do not leave traces,' Eye Security's co-owner Vaisha Bernard said in an email to Bloomberg News. Advertisement 'This is still developing, and other opportunistic adversaries continue to exploit vulnerable servers.' Despite Microsoft's efforts to bolster its security measures, including hiring executives from government agencies and holding weekly security meetings, the recent breaches have drawn renewed scrutiny. The US government issued a report last year that was critical of Microsoft's lax security culture.
Mint
17-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
US solar giants demand tariffs in new trade battle against India, Indonesia and Laos
Major U.S. solar companies First Solar, Qcells, Talon PV, and Mission Solar formally asked the U.S. Commerce Department to impose heavy fees on solar panel imports from Indonesia, India, and Laos. Their July 11 petition claims manufacturers in these countries sell panels below fair value, a practice called 'dumping', while receiving illegal government subsidies. The group, called the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, previously won similar tariffs against Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand earlier this year. The alliance argues manufacturers simply relocated from tariff-hit Southeast Asian nations to Indonesia and Laos to continue 'flooding the U.S. market with artificially cheap panels'. Indian producers face fresh accusations of using government aid to undercut American prices by 40-60%. "These countries became the next dumping grounds after our last victory," said alliance lawyer Tim Brightbill. Commerce Department data shows imports from the three targeted nations surged 78% in Q1 2024 as other Asian supplies dropped. Domestic producers warn new tariffs are essential to protect $20+ billion in recent U.S. factory investments. First Solar is expanding Ohio production while Qcells builds a $2.5 billion Georgia supply chain, projects creating 8,000 jobs. Without tariffs, they argue Chinese-backed companies will 'crush American solar manufacturing before it scales up'. The petition specifically names eight foreign producers, including Laos' SunKing and India's Waaree Energies. Asian governments and climate advocates oppose the tariffs, warning they could raise U.S. solar prices by 30% and slow clean energy adoption. The US Commerce Department must decide by August 12 whether to investigate. The move tests the White House' balancing act between supporting domestic manufacturing and keeping solar affordable amid climate goals.
Business Insider
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Africa's richest man files to build seaport for next phase of empire expansion
Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, is moving ahead with plans to build a major seaport near his fertilizer and oil refinery plants. Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest man, is planning to build Nigeria's largest and deepest seaport in Olokola, Ogun State. This seaport aims to enhance Dangote's logistics capabilities and complement his fertilizer and petrochemical operations. The initiative includes plans for liquefied natural gas exports with pipeline construction from the Niger Delta. Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, is moving ahead with plans to build a major seaport near his fertilizer and oil refinery plants, a move aimed at easing exports and powering the continued expansion of his vast industrial empire. In a recent interview in Lagos, Dangote confirmed that his group submitted paperwork in late June to begin work on what he described as 'the biggest, deepest port in Nigeria.' The proposed Atlantic seaport will be located in Olokola, Ogun State, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from his massive fertilizer and petrochemical facilities in Lagos. Currently, Dangote exports fertilizer and urea through a private jetty he built near the refinery site, the same jetty that also receives the heavy equipment needed for operations. The new port will help integrate logistics and export activities across the group. It could rival key facilities in Lagos, including the Chinese-backed Lekki Deep Sea Port, which opened in 2023. 'It's not that we want to do everything by ourselves,' Dangote said, ' but I believe this kind of investment will inspire other entrepreneurs to get involved too. ' Beyond fertilizer exports, Dangote also plans to ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Lagos. This project will require the construction of pipelines from the Niger Delta, according to Devakumar Edwin, vice president of the Dangote Group. 'We want to do a major project to bring in more gas than what NLNG is doing today,' said Aliko Dangote, referencing Nigeria LNG Ltd., the country's leading liquefied natural gas exporter and a joint venture between the Nigerian government, Shell Plc, Eni SpA, and TotalEnergies SE. 'We know where there is a lot of gas, so we'll run a pipeline all the way and bring it to the shore.' Pipeline plans to tap Niger Delta's gas potential Dangote already taps into Nigeria's gas-rich Niger Delta to power his massive fertilizer plant, where natural gas is used as feedstock to produce hydrogen for ammonia, a key ingredient in fertilizer production. Guided by bold thinking and long-term planning, the billionaire industrialist believes Africa could be transformed into a 'heaven' within just five years. Earlier this year, the billionaire industrialist said his conglomerate is on track to generate $30 billion in total revenue by next year, even as global businesses express concerns about the potential impact of trade tariffs under U.S. President Donald Trump.
Bangkok Post
08-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
China pressures rebels in Myanmar rare-earth belt
The global supply of heavy rare earths hinges in part on the outcome of a months-long battle between a rebel army and the Chinese-backed military junta in the hills of northern Myanmar. The Kachin Independence Army since December has been battling the junta over the town of Bhamo, less than 100 kilometres from the Chinese border, as part of the civil war that erupted after the military's 2021 coup. Nearly half the world's supply of heavy rare earths is extracted from mines in Kachin state, including those north of Bhamo, a strategically vital garrison town. They are then shipped to China for processing into magnets that power electronic vehicles and wind turbines. China, which has a near-monopoly over the processing of heavy rare earths, has threatened to halt buying the minerals mined in KIA-controlled territory unless the militia stops trying to seize full control of Bhamo, according to three people familiar with the matter. The ultimatum, issued by Chinese officials to the KIA in a meeting earlier this year, underscores how Beijing is wielding its control of the minerals to further its geopolitical aims. One of the people, a KIA official, said the Chinese demand was made in May, without detailing where the discussions took place. Another person, a KIA commander, said Beijing was represented by foreign ministry officials at the talks. Reuters could not determine whether China had carried out its threat. Fighting in the region has restricted mining operations and rare-earth exports from Myanmar have plunged this year. China spooked global supply chains this spring when it restricted exports of the minerals in retaliation against US President Donald Trump's tariffs. It is now using its dominance to shore up Myanmar's beleaguered junta, which China sees as a guarantor of its economic interests in its backyard. China's foreign ministry said in response to Reuters' questions that it was not aware of the specifics of deliberations with the KIA. 'An early ceasefire and peace talks between the Myanmar military and the Kachin Independence Army are in the common interests of China and Myanmar as well as their people,' a ministry spokesperson said. A senior KIA general did not respond to a request for comment. The KIA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said Beijing also offered a carrot: greater cross-border trade with KIA-controlled territories if the militia abandoned efforts to seize Bhamo, a logistics hub for the junta and home to some 166,000 people. 'And if we did not accept, they would block exports from Kachin State, including rare-earth minerals,' said the official, who did not elaborate on the consequences of an economic blockade. Beijing is not seeking to resolve the wider civil war but it wants fighting to subside in order to advance its economic interests, said David Mathieson, an independent Myanmar-focused analyst. 'China's pressure is a more general approach to calming down the conflict.' (Story continues below) Defying Beijing The battle for Bhamo began soon after the KIA wrested control of the main rare-earths belt in Kachin last October. After its takeover, the KIA raised taxes on miners and throttled production of dysprosium and terbium, sending prices of the latter skyrocketing. Supply has been squeezed, with Beijing importing 12,944 tonnes of rare-earth oxides and metals from Myanmar in the first five months of 2025, according to Chinese customs data. That is down by half from the same period last year, though exports rose more than 20% between April and May. The KIA, which analysts estimate has over 15,000 personnel, was founded in 1961 to fight for the autonomy of Myanmar's Kachin minority. Battle-hardened through decades of combat and funded by a combination of local taxation and natural resources, it is among the strongest of Myanmar's rebel groups. The militia is confident of its ability to seize Bhamo and believes Beijing won't ultimately carry out its threat to stop exports due to its thirst for the minerals, two of the people said. Myanmar has been in crisis since the military overthrew a democratically elected government in 2021, violently quashing protests and sparking a nationwide armed rebellion. Swathes of territory were subsequently seized by anti-junta forces, but the rebels have come under Chinese pressure to make concessions to the military. Beijing has also sent jets and drones to the junta, which is increasingly reliant on airpower, according to the US-based Stimson Centre think-tank. China, which has major investments in Myanmar, last year brokered a ceasefire for the junta to return to Lashio, a northeastern town housing a regional military command. More than 200km to the north, about 5,000 KIA and allied personnel have been involved in the offensive for Bhamo, according to a KIA commander with direct knowledge of the fighting. Losing Bhamo would cut off the military's land and river access to parts of Kachin and neighbouring region, isolating its troops housed at military bases there and weakening its control over northern trade routes, according to Maj Naung Yoe, who defected from the junta after the coup. The junta spokesperson's office told Reuters that China may have held talks with the KIA, but it did not respond to a question about whether it had asked Beijing to threaten a blockade. 'China may have been exerted pressure and offered incentives to the KIA,' it said in a statement. Beijing first advised the rebels to pull back from Bhamo during negotiations in early December, according to the KIA official. Instead of withdrawing from Bhamo after those talks, the KIA doubled down, according to the commander and the official. The International Institute for Strategic Studies said in a May briefing that the battle for Bhamo had cost the KIA significant resources and hundreds of casualties. Beijing became more confrontational during further discussions that took place in spring, when its representatives threatened to stop rare-earth purchases, the official said. A disruption in the movement of heavy rare earths from Kachin could lead to a deficit in the global market by the end of the year, said Neha Mukherjee of the UK-based consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Supplies of the critical minerals outside China were already constrained, she said: 'In the short term, during the brief disruption period, prices outside of China could shoot up higher.' Battle for Bhamo The KIA has pushed junta troops into a handful of isolated pockets, according to the commander. But the junta retains air superiority and has devastated large parts of Bhamo with relentless airstrikes, according to the KIA official, the commander and a former resident of the town. The junta spokesperson's office said it was permitted to strike such sites because the KIA had been using them for military purposes, though it did not provide evidence. Nathan Ruser, an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, who has reviewed satellite imagery of Bhamo, said much of the damage across the town appeared to be from airstrikes. Airstrikes have killed civilians including children and destroyed schools and places of worship, according to Khon Ja, a Kachin activist from Bhamo who said her home had been bombed. 'I don't know for how long that the revolutionary groups will be able to resist Chinese pressure,' she said, adding that existing border restrictions had led to shortages of petrol and medicine in Kachin. Despite the obstacles, KIA leaders believe capturing Bhamo would shift momentum in their favour and strengthen public support. If the ethnic army were to take control of the entire state, then Beijing would have no option but to negotiate and sideline the junta, the commander and the official said.
