Big Scandal! Russian Hackers Steal Microsoft Subscriber Emails

Microsoft president Brad Smith (right) said the company was working to overhaul its security practices (photo: x @BradSmi)

JAKARTA - Microsoft has revealed that Russian hackers who hacked the company's system and spyed on their staff's inbox earlier this year also stole emails from its customers. This disclosure emerged about six months after the first announcement of the breach.

Microsoft said the hacker, dubbed Midnight Blizzard, had accessed emails from customers communicating with Microsoft's corporate email account.

"This week we continue notification to customers who are in response to Microsoft's corporate email account that has been affiliated with threat actor Midnight Blizzard," a Microsoft spokesperson said in an email statement. Bloomberg first reported this action earlier on the same day.

However, Microsoft did not disclose how many customers were affected or how many emails might have been stolen. "This is additional detail for customers who have been notified and also includes new notifications," the spokesperson added. "We are committed to sharing information with our customers as our investigation continues."

In January, Microsoft stated that Midnight Blizzard had accessed "very small percentage" of the company's corporate email account. Four months later, the company said that the hackers were still trying to log in, which worries many security industry partners and customers who question why Microsoft's system remains vulnerable.

The intrusion, as well as a hack by a Chinese hacker group last year that stole thousands of US government emails, sparked a Congressional hearing earlier this month. During the hearing, Microsoft's President, Brad Smith, said the company was working to overhaul its security practices.