The Microsoft hack continues to widen as more victims are identified, including the U.S. ambassador to China and the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia. Federal authorities confirmed that unclassified emails of Nicholas Burns and Daniel Kritenbrink were compromised in the breach. They join a growing list of administration officials who fell victim to the suspected Chinese hack. The breach, which targeted nine U.S. organizations and agencies, as well as global entities, appeared to exploit vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s cloud security systems.
The intrusion was first detected during Secretary of State Antony Blinken‘s trip to China in mid-June. Technical staff at the State Department discovered the breach on June 16 and immediately alerted Microsoft engineers. However, an investigation revealed that the anomalous activity may have started as early as May 15.
While Microsoft has attributed the attack to an adversary based in China focused on espionage, U.S. officials have not directly accused Beijing. The breach is still under investigation, and it remains unclear if any valuable information was stolen. The FBI has stated that no U.S. secrets were compromised, and the attack was contained before spreading beyond the email protocol. It is estimated that only a small fraction of government email accounts in the United States were exposed.
Notably, Secretary Blinken has not been identified as a victim of the breach so far. The incident came to light during ongoing summits between Washington and Beijing, aimed at reducing tensions between the two countries. During a recent meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Blinken raised the hacking incident with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi, but details of the response were not disclosed.
As investigations continue, Microsoft is working to assure customers that their personal data is secure. The company has released a series of no-cost digital forensic tools after facing criticism for high charges on basic email protections. In response to the hack, the Biden administration released a national cybersecurity strategy, targeting perpetrators of cybercrimes and ransomware attacks, as well as promoting software transparency.
Additionally, the State Department is planning to release an International Cyberspace and Digital Policy Strategy, seeking cooperation from global allies to address cyber threats. U.S. cybersecurity experts have acknowledged that Chinese cyber espionage tactics have become more advanced, agile, and complex over the past decade.
In a separate development, Canadian authorities have arrested a retired police officer on charges of foreign interference on behalf of China. William Majcher, a resident of Hong Kong, is accused of using his contacts and knowledge in Canada to obtain intelligence or services benefiting the People’s Republic of China. This arrest comes amid escalating tensions between Canada and China since 2018 and recent allegations of Chinese interference in Canadian public affairs and federal elections.
These latest developments highlight the ongoing and evolving threats posed by state-sponsored hacking, emphasizing the need for robust cybersecurity measures and international cooperation to address such breaches effectively.
