After all, software updates are supposed to come with bug fixes and security upgrades to keep your systems safe from exploited vulnerabilities and gaps. The Sunburst hack set a precedent for who companies can and cannot trust when it comes to cybersecurity.
There, the malicious code set up a backdoor for the hackers, allowing them to install even more invasive malware and spy on their targets and leak any information they deemed important. The code spread itself to other clients by hitching a ride on one of the regular software updates that SolarWinds sends out to its clients. The hacking incident was stealthy and nondestructive, allowing it to slip under SolarWinds’ radar and stay there for months. They then proceeded to add malicious code into one of the company’s most used software services, Orion.
The hackers only needed to get around SolarWinds’ cybersecurity. But that wasn't the case for the companies affected by the so-called "Sunburst" hack-just under 100 of all those who downloaded the infected update. Often, a hacking incident is the result of a failed security system or inside collaboration. The hackers managed to force their way into dozens of emails belonging to high-ranking officials in the American Treasury Department and possibly, the department’s cloud properties. They reported no evidence of compromised or leaked customer data from the attack, allowing them to escape it mostly unscathed.īut not everyone was this lucky. Exact numbers haven't been released, but it's reported that fewer than 100 customers were hacked.įor instance, Microsoft was able to detect the intrusive malware in their environment and isolate it in time. While the hackers managed to gain access to nearly 20,000 of SolarWinds’ clients, that doesn’t mean they were able to bypass their internal security systems and compromise files and data. It’s important to note that the scale of the incident isn’t yet fully known. The hack affected companies like Cisco, Intel, Deloitte, and Microsoft, as well as some medical institutions, hospitals, and universities. The remaining 80 percent of victims were private corporations, but they were big players in their industry with their fair share of high-profile clients. Of the victims, around 20 percent were US government institutions and agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Department of Energy, among many others. SolarWinds reported that just over 18,000 of their clients downloaded an affected version, though not all were actively hacked. It’s safe to say that the SolarWinds corporation itself wasn't the target of the attack, but only the method of attack. So, from the get-go, it was clear that any hack would have catastrophic effects beyond SolarWinds' assets and reputation. SolarWinds is a US-based IT company that specializes in developing management software for businesses and government agencies. The effects were so widespread that the impact of the hack involved of the US government and its agencies. One hack that had a substantial impact on the cybersecurity landscape was the SolarWinds hack.īut unlike other large-scale hacks, the SolarWinds attack’s damages weren’t limited to the company’s finances and reputation. They’re proof that no one is safe, especially when the victim is a major corporation with a sophisticated cybersecurity system. Hacking incidents always dominate the news, and rightfully so.