Hackers Breach U.S. Fermilab, Highlighting Global Cybersecurity Flaws

Hackers targeted Fermilab's SharePoint servers, exploiting vulnerabilities in Microsoft's software. The attack, part of a larger cyber espionage campaign, did not result in sensitive data access. A security patch by Microsoft failed to fix the flaw completely, affecting systems including the National Nuclear Security Administration.

In a recent cyber espionage campaign, Fermilab, one of the U.S. Department of Energy's 17 national labs, fell victim to hackers exploiting weaknesses in Microsoft's SharePoint software. According to a department spokesperson, the attack on the U.S. Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory was quickly identified, resulting in minimal impact and no access to sensitive or classified data.

The affected servers have since been restored to normal functioning. However, a security patch issued by Microsoft last month did not fully resolve a significant vulnerability found in May, which hackers have been using to launch a global cyber operation.

This breach is part of broader concerns as the security flaw also impacted other critical systems, including those within the National Nuclear Security Administration, according to another Department of Energy statement. The spokesperson assured that all affected systems are in the process of restoration.

(With inputs from agencies.)