EU Blames China for Cyberattacks That Hit Microsoft Server

(Bloomberg) -- The European Union said cyberattacks conducted from China have compromised the Microsoft Exchange server, affecting thousands of computers and networks worldwide.

The activities were linked to the hacker groups Advanced Persistent Threat 40 and Advanced Persistent Threat 31, according to an EU statement on Monday.

The attack “significantly affected our economy, security, democracy and society at large,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on Monday. “We have also detected malicious cyber activities with significant effects that targeted government institutions and political organizations in the EU and member states, as well as key European industries.”

The EU denounced the attacks and called on China to stamp out activities undertaken within its borders. The EU also said it would step up work with international partners to counter such behavior.

The attacks triggered “security risks and significant economic loss for our government institutions and private companies, and has shown significant spill-over and systemic effects for our security, economy and society at large,” the statement said.

The bloc continues to urge Chinese authorities to adhere to “norms of responsible state behavior as endorsed by all U.N. member states,” and not allow its territory to be used for such activities, the statement said. The EU will keep working on a program under U.N. auspices to ensure “responsible state behavior in cyberspace.”

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