Ongoing Threat to SharePoint Despite Patch
Despite Microsoft’s efforts to fix a significant vulnerability in its SharePoint software, cyber-attacks continue to escalate, with a sizeable number of infected servers serving companies and government agencies operating in Germany. This issue has put a crucial segment of the German economy at risk.
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The Impact Across Europe and Beyond
European businesses, government bodies, and educational institutions are among the hardest hit by this flaw in Microsoft’s SharePoint, with Germany bearing the brunt of the impact. According to the analysis by Eye Security, a European cybersecurity firm, 396 infected servers across 145 organizations have been identified globally. Of these, 42 are linked to companies operating in Germany, with ten of these organizations headquartered within the country.
Global Distribution of Infected Servers
The United States leads with 18% of confirmed incidents, followed by Mauritius at 8%, and Germany closely behind at 7%. France reported 5% of the incidents, while Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy each reported 4%. The United Kingdom was affected by 3% of the cases. Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, has become increasingly targeted due to its advanced digital infrastructure, role as a regional financial hub, and ongoing digitalization efforts.
Cybercriminals Targeting Strategic Assets
The attacks are not random; cybercriminals are targeting strategically important assets. Lodi Hensen, VP of Security Operations at Eye Security, emphasized that the campaign was precise and targeted. The attackers knew exactly what they were looking for, indicating a high level of planning and knowledge of their targets.
Persistent Threat from China and Criminal Syndicates
Despite Microsoft having patched the vulnerability and released a security update, the threat remains unabated with continued rising infection numbers. Many companies have yet to apply the update, or attackers had entrenched themselves within the systems before the update could be implemented. Microsoft has attributed initial attacks to Chinese groups like Linen Typhoon, Violet Typhoon, and Storm-2603. Eye Security has noted that criminal groups are now also exploiting compromised SharePoint accesses to prepare for ransomware attacks, where attackers encrypt the data of their victims to extort ransom.
The Vulnerability’s Broad Reach
This risk is no longer confined to states or large corporations. Eye Security highlighted that the European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often rely on in-house data center solutions (On-Premises) and lack comprehensive security monitoring, are increasingly becoming targets. This underscores the growing need for robust cybersecurity measures across all business sizes and sectors.
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Ned Winslow is passionate about technological innovations. He writes about AI, cybersecurity, startups, and big tech companies. He makes technology understandable for everyone, with a critical eye on its impacts.
