Microsoft Projects Hacked: Password-Stealing Malware Found

Microsoft has taken action by disabling access to at least 70 of its open-source projects hosted on GitHub as it investigates a security breach. Hackers are believed to have injected password-stealing malware into the code of these projects. The compromised tools, many of which are associated with Microsoft's cloud service Azure and AI development, could have exposed sensitive user credentials when opened by developers.

This incident represents a significant security concern, particularly as it affects widely used open-source projects, a common target for "supply chain" attacks. Such attacks aim to compromise a large number of users by exploiting code integrated into various software products. The breach is notable given Microsoft's resources for cybersecurity.

This is reportedly Microsoft's second open-source project breach in recent weeks. An earlier incident in mid-May involved the Durable Task project, a tool for app development. The current compromise of the Durable Task project suggests that the previous attempt to eradicate the threat may have been incomplete, or that a new, separate breach has occurred.