Microsoft Warns Ukrainian Government Computer Systems Infected; Security Official Suspects Russian Intelligence

• Microsoft says Ukrainian government computer systems are infected with destructive malware disguised as ransomware.
• The software giant says it is possible more organizations have been infected, and the U.S. government has also been notified.
• A Ukrainian security official says the malware is similar to that used by Russian intelligence.

Microsoft Crop MSFT is warning the Ukrainian government agencies that their computer systems have been infected with destructive malware disguised as ransomware.

What Happened: In a short blog post on Saturday, Microsoft said by activating the software, the attackers "would render the infected computer system inoperable. We’re sharing this information to help others in the cybersecurity community look out for and defend against these attacks."

"We have also notified each of the impacted organizations we have identified so far, partnered with other cybersecurity providers to share what we know, and notified appropriate government agencies in the United States and elsewhere," the software giant said. "It is possible more organizations have been infected with this malware and the number of impacted organizations could grow. We will continue to work with the cybersecurity community to identify and assist targets and victims."

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Why It Matters: It's unclear how many Ukrainian government agencies have been affected by the attack, which comes during the looming threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and as diplomatic talks between the two sides have stalled.

Microsoft said it is still assessing the intent of the malware, and has yet to determine the source of the attack. A Ukrainian security official, Serhiy Demedyuk, told Reuters the malware is similar to that used by Russian intelligence.

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