Widespread Cyberattacks on U.S. Agencies Began in March

The suspected Russian cyberattacks on U.S. agencies and companies is believed to have been much worse than initially thought. It was recently revealed by Microsoft that more than 40 organizations were targeted by hacks that began as early as March but went undetected up until last week. While most of the victims are still unidentified, at least three major agencies have come forward which includes the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Energy, and the cybersecurity company FireEye. With the investigation still ongoing it’s plausible more compromised organizations may be discovered. It’s reported the hackers were able to get inside by first breaking into a smaller, more obscure technology company in Texas before expanding to more high-end targets. Around 80% of the attacks were focused on the U.S. Senator Mitt Romney criticized the “alarming vulnerabilities” of U.S. cyber defenses and inaction by the White House on social media. He compared the attacks to “Russian bombers repeatedly flying over our country undetected.”