Microsoft Confirms Hacker Group Lapsu$ Stole Source Code, Gained Limited Access

A hacker group named Lapsu$ has recently claimed a cyber attack on tech giant Microsoft, saying that it has stolen the source code of several Microsoft products including Bing, Cortana, and more. Now, Microsoft has confirmed the development saying that the hacker group had gained “limited access” to its systems. The company says that it has been tracking the activities of Lapsu$ for several weeks. The hacker group was previously involved with breaches in Nvidia, Samsung, and Okta, a US-based user authentication services company.

Microsoft said that its investigation has found that a single account had been compromised, granting limited access to the hacker group. “Our cybersecurity response teams quickly engaged to remediate the compromised account and prevent further activity. Microsoft does not rely on the secrecy of code as a security measure and viewing source code does not lead to elevation of risk,” the company said. Microsoft has categorised the hacker group as DEV-0537. “Unlike most activity groups that stay under the radar, DEV-0537 doesn’t seem to cover its tracks,” the company said. “They go as far as announcing their attacks on social media or advertising their intent to buy credentials from employees of target organisations.”