Summary: Microsoft has revealed a concerning shift in tactics by the Chinese espionage group Silk Typhoon, which is now focusing on the global IT supply chain instead of high-profile cloud services. The group is employing stolen API keys and compromised credentials to infiltrate IT services and managed service providers, allowing them to conduct reconnaissance and data exfiltration. Their capability to exploit vulnerabilities across various software products poses significant risks to organizations relying on common IT solutions without stringent security measures.
Affected: IT services, managed service providers, financial institutions, state and local government
Keypoints :
- Silk Typhoon is targeting companies in the IT supply chain using stolen API keys and compromised credentials.
- The group has a strong understanding of both on-premises and cloud environments, exploiting tools like Microsoft Entra Connect for privilege escalation.
- Microsoft warns that any organization using common IT solutions without proper security measures is vulnerable to these sophisticated attacks.
- Silk Typhoon has previously been linked to successful attacks on Microsoft Exchange servers and other critical infrastructure.
- The hackers use reconnaissance techniques and tools like password spray attacks to gain unauthorized access to corporate accounts.