A group of hackers successfully infiltrated and caused damage to the computer systems of a U.S. agency responsible for the development and maintenance of the country’s nuclear arsenal.
According to a report by Bloomberg on Wednesday, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)—the agency in charge of designing and maintaining nuclear weapons—was one of the entities affected by a breach in Microsoft’s document management software, SharePoint. A source familiar with the incident confirmed that the U.S. Department of Energy, to which the NNSA belongs, was also compromised.
Microsoft attributed the attack to hacker groups known as Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon, stating that they exploited a vulnerability in its platform. The company suggested these cybercriminals may be state-sponsored, though it did not provide specific details.
Beyond U.S. agencies, the cyberattack reportedly impacted governments in Europe and Western Asia, as well as entities such as the U.S. Department of Education, the Florida Department of Treasury, and the Rhode Island General Assembly.
The NNSA plays a critical role in national security, not only due to its management of the nuclear arsenal but also its involvement in counterterrorism efforts, supplying reactors for Navy submarines, and responding to radiological emergencies. This incident highlights the growing risks faced by critical infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.