SolarWinds attackers hit strategic targets: cyber and tech firms

In the case of SolarWinds Corp, the hackers installed malware in its Orion software, which is used by government agencies and Fortune 500 companies. The Texas-based firm said that as many as 18,000 customers may have received the malicious code in software updates, though far fewer are believed to have been subject to further attacks from the hackers. — Bloomberg

Whether it was opportunity, strategy or sheer chutzpah, the suspected Russian hackers behind a massive cyberattack revealed last month focused particular attention on technology companies, including cybersecurity firms entrusted to find malicious activity in their clients’ networks.

Four cybersecurity companies announced this week that they had been targeted as part of the attack, adding to a list of at least eight other tech companies that the hackers tried to breach. Many of the companies said they successfully blocked the attackers, but some others acknowledged that their networks were infiltrated.