Threat Actor Claims Breach at Microsoft, Leaks Employee Info

A potential data breach at Microsoft has been reported by a hacker known as “888” on BreachForums.

The threat actor claims to have exposed the personal information of over 2,000 Microsoft employees, which includes sensitive details such as names, job titles, email addresses, and phone numbers.

The post, dated July 9, 2024, states that the data was compromised through a third-party breach and is now available for download. The hacker, who has previously claimed a breach at Shopify, has shared a sample of the leaked information on the post.

The exposed data encompasses various details about employees, including:

• Full name
• Job title
• Email address and verification status
• Direct and corporate phone numbers
• Company information, including employee count, industry, and website
• Personal LinkedIn URLs
• Location details (city, state, country)
• Verification and update timelines

The hacker has made the complete dataset accessible for just 4 credits on the forum, making it easy for cybercriminals to acquire the information.

Microsoft, a global leader in technology with over 220,000 employees worldwide, has not yet confirmed the breach. The company provides a wide range of services, including software development, cloud computing, and hardware. A data breach of this magnitude could potentially impact its operational integrity and employee privacy.

The exposed sample data includes high-level positions such as George Sadlier, VP of Azure Reliability, and Michael Parissis, VP of Business Development, indicating that senior staff might also be affected. The information leak could lead to various risks, including phishing attacks, identity theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive corporate resources.

For those potentially affected, it is crucial to:

• Monitor email accounts and communication channels for suspicious activities.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts.
• Be cautious of phishing emails, and avoid clicking on unknown links.
• Update passwords regularly and use unique passwords for different accounts.

888's previous claims of holding data of Shopify customers were confirmed when the company stated to Cyber Insider that the exposed data was stolen from a third-party app that would soon notify the impacted individuals.

It's possible that the Microsoft staff info leak is linked to that same third party, making it less likely that this results from a direct breach at Microsoft.