How spies hacked US secrets via Solarwinds’ Orion software

In December, a major cybersecurity breach was reported, affecting US government agencies and numerous companies. The hack was first identified by FireEye, a cybersecurity firm that was also compromised. The breach was linked to SolarWinds software, specifically its Orion product, which spread malware through software updates. This malware allowed hackers to deploy further malicious software. Many users are unaware of SolarWinds software running on their systems, contributing to the widespread impact.

What event on December 13th brought the cybersecurity breach to public attention?

• A press release by the US government

• A report by Reuters

• A news conference by the FBI

• A tweet from a cybersecurity expert

Which cybersecurity firm discovered that it had been hacked during the investigation?

• FireEye

• Kaspersky

• Symantec

• McAfee

What was the role of SolarWinds software in the cybersecurity breach?

• It was used to prevent the breach

• It was the source of the malware spread

• It was unaffected by the breach

• It was used to detect the breach

How did the malware communicate with its operators after being installed?

• Using social media messages

• Through email notifications

• Via direct phone calls

• By signaling back to its operators

What was a significant issue with the SolarWinds software in terms of user awareness?

• It was only installed on government systems

• Most users were unaware it was running on their systems

• It was only used by a few companies

• Users were well-informed about its presence