SolarWinds hackers launch email attack on government agencies

Microsoft has said that the Russian SolarWinds hackers launched a targeted phishing assault on US and foreign government agencies and thinktanks this week using an email marketing account of the US Agency for International Development.

In a blog post, Microsoft vice-president Tom Burt said that approximately 3,000 email accounts had been targeted at more than 150 different organisations. It is believed that at least a quarter of them involved in international development, humanitarian and human rights work.

According to Microsoft, while organisations in the United States received the largest share of attacks, targeted victims span at least 24 countries.

Nobelium, originating from Russia, is the same actor behind the attacks on SolarWinds customers in 2020.

Burt said the most recent campaign appeared to be a continuation of efforts by the Russian hackers to ‘target government agencies involved in foreign policy as part of intelligence-gathering efforts’.