Cyber Security
Microsoft & Alaska Airlines Hit By Cyber Attacks As WhatsApp Faces Russia Ban
Updated on Mon, Jul 21, 2025
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Cybersecurity has never been as critical as it is today, affecting not just professionals but also how countries operate, businesses communicate, and we travel. Recently, the cyber world has started heating up, with turf wars, outages, and cyber exploits rising. Plus, headlines about cyber threats such as ransomware, data leaks, and spyware are also rising.
Well, this month, the digital world is stirring up real-world consequences—from military cloud concerns to app bans, airline disruptions, and more.
Here’s a look at what’s been happening. Read on!
Microsoft has issued an urgent warning about ongoing cyberattacks targeting flaws in its SharePoint server software, which many governments and businesses use to share internal documents. The company is urging users to install security updates right away to stay protected.
The FBI confirmed that it’s aware of the ongoing attacks and is working with federal and private partners, but hasn’t shared more details. Microsoft said the issue only affects SharePoint servers used within organizations, and not the cloud-based SharePoint Online in Microsoft 365, which is safe.
A Microsoft spokesperson affirmed close coordination with CISA, DOD Cyber Defense Command, and global cybersecurity partners in their response efforts, emphasizing the urgency for customers to install the released security updates.
The Washington Post initially broke the news, reporting that unidentified actors had exploited a previously unknown flaw—a "zero-day" attack—to target U.S. and international agencies and businesses. Experts, cited by the newspaper, indicate that tens of thousands of servers are at risk.
Microsoft's alert details a vulnerability that "allows an authorized attacker to perform spoofing over a network." In response, the company has provided recommendations to counter spoofing attempts, where attackers can conceal their identity to appear as a trusted entity.
For customers unable to implement recommended malware protection, Microsoft advises disconnecting vulnerable servers from the internet until a security update for older SharePoint versions (2016 and 2019) becomes available.
This spotlight on Microsoft’s cybersecurity challenges comes as the company faces scrutiny on another front—its use of China-based engineers for sensitive U.S. military cloud projects.
On Friday, Microsoft announced that it will stop using China-based engineers to support U.S. military cloud systems. The move follows a ProPublica report that raised security concerns and led to a Pentagon review.
The ProPublica report revealed that Microsoft relied on Chinese engineers, overseen by U.S. "digital escorts" who had security clearances but often lacked the technical expertise to spot possible cybersecurity risks in their work.
This revelation raised serious concerns, especially given Microsoft's history of system breaches by Chinese and Russian hackers, though the company claims it had disclosed these practices to the U.S. government.
Frank Shaw, a Microsoft spokesperson, confirmed the change on X, stating the company adjusted its support for U.S. government clients "in response to concerns raised earlier this week...to assure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance" for Pentagon services.
Earlier on Friday, Senator Tom Cotton sent a letter to Secretary Hegseth, asking for a full list of contractors using Chinese workers and more information on how U.S. "digital escorts" are trained.
"The U.S. government recognizes that China's cyber capabilities pose one of the most aggressive and dangerous threats to the United States, as evidenced by infiltration of our critical infrastructure, telecommunications networks, and supply chains," Cotton wrote in the letter. The U.S. military "must guard against all potential threats within its supply chain, including those from subcontractors," he further wrote.
Responding swiftly, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a video posted on X, declared a two-week review to ensure no other Defense Department cloud service contracts involve China-based engineers.
He said, "I'm announcing that China will no longer have any involvement whatsoever in our cloud services, effective immediately. We will continue to monitor and counter all threats to our military infrastructure and online networks."
This decisive action signals a clear intent to fortify the nation's defense against potential foreign cyber vulnerabilities.
As Microsoft moves to address concerns over foreign involvement in its defense contracts, another Big Tech giant, Meta, is confronting national security accusations.
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, has been told to prepare to leave the Russian market by lawmakers claiming it poses a national security threat, and will likely be added to a list of restricted apps.
Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the lower house of parliament's information technology committee, stated via Telegram, "It's time for WhatsApp to prepare to leave the Russian market."
He highlighted that Meta is officially designated as an extremist organization in Russia, with its Facebook and Instagram platforms already banned since 2022.
The move comes as Russia intensifies its efforts to bolster its digital sovereignty. Last month, President Vladimir Putin signed legislation authorizing the development of MAX, a state-backed messaging app integrated with government services.
Gorelkin believes MAX could gain substantial market share should WhatsApp exit, vacating the market share of 68% currently used by Russians daily. This also aligns with the 1.9% rise in shares of state-controlled technology company VK, a developer of homegrown digital services, on Friday.
Anton Nemkin, another member of parliament's IT committee, affirmed WhatsApp's predetermined fate. "The presence of such a service in Russia's digital space is, in fact, a legal breach of national security," Nemkin quoted as saying by TASS.
Critics are concerned that the new state-backed app could track users and that Russia might slow down WhatsApp to push people toward local alternatives. A similar tactic appears to have reduced YouTube’s audience in Russia over the past year.
President Putin has set a September 1 deadline for introducing further restrictions on software, including communication services, from "unfriendly countries." Gorelkin indicated that WhatsApp is expected to be among these restricted services.
While global tensions are rising, the aviation sector is now reeling from cyber risk, with airlines like Alaska facing disruptions amid growing threats.
Alaska Airlines, a prominent U.S. carrier, resumed flight operations late Sunday evening after an IT outage forced a system-wide ground stop for approximately three hours. This marks the second time in just over a year that the airline has faced such a significant operational halt due to technical issues. The incident also closely follows a sudden rise in cyberattacks against airlines.
The disruption began around 8 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, impacting both Alaska and Horizon Air flights. By 11 p.m. Pacific, the carrier confirmed that the ground stop had been lifted, allowing flights to resume.
However, the ripple effect of the outage is expected to persist, as the Seattle-based airline stated, "As we reposition our aircraft and crews, there will most likely be residual impacts to our flights. It will take some time to get our overall operations back to normal."
The precise nature of the IT outage has not yet been disclosed by Alaska Airlines.
This latest incident follows an April 2024 grounding of Alaska's entire fleet, which was attributed to a problem with the system responsible for calculating aircraft weight and balance. The airline's operational fleet comprises 238 Boeing 737 and 87 Embraer 175 aircraft.
The timing of Alaska's IT woes coincides with warnings from tech giants Google and Palo Alto Networks regarding the "Scattered Spider" hacking group's alleged interest in the aviation sector. While other airlines, including WestJet and Qantas, have recently reported cyber incidents, those did not impact flying operations.
Whether it’s critical infrastructure, military systems, or consumer apps, the robust wave of cyber vulnerabilities washing over the globe necessitates a shift toward tighter digital controls and heightened cyber scrutiny.
Do you think these growing digital threats are a wake-up call for stronger cybersecurity across industries? Should Big Tech businesses reevaluate their security posture?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Well, this month, the digital world is stirring up real-world consequences—from military cloud concerns to app bans, airline disruptions, and more.
Here’s a look at what’s been happening. Read on!
Microsoft Warns Of Ongoing Cyberattacks On SharePoint Servers
Microsoft has issued an urgent warning about ongoing cyberattacks targeting flaws in its SharePoint server software, which many governments and businesses use to share internal documents. The company is urging users to install security updates right away to stay protected.
The FBI confirmed that it’s aware of the ongoing attacks and is working with federal and private partners, but hasn’t shared more details. Microsoft said the issue only affects SharePoint servers used within organizations, and not the cloud-based SharePoint Online in Microsoft 365, which is safe.
A Microsoft spokesperson affirmed close coordination with CISA, DOD Cyber Defense Command, and global cybersecurity partners in their response efforts, emphasizing the urgency for customers to install the released security updates.
The Washington Post initially broke the news, reporting that unidentified actors had exploited a previously unknown flaw—a "zero-day" attack—to target U.S. and international agencies and businesses. Experts, cited by the newspaper, indicate that tens of thousands of servers are at risk.
Microsoft's alert details a vulnerability that "allows an authorized attacker to perform spoofing over a network." In response, the company has provided recommendations to counter spoofing attempts, where attackers can conceal their identity to appear as a trusted entity.
For customers unable to implement recommended malware protection, Microsoft advises disconnecting vulnerable servers from the internet until a security update for older SharePoint versions (2016 and 2019) becomes available.
This spotlight on Microsoft’s cybersecurity challenges comes as the company faces scrutiny on another front—its use of China-based engineers for sensitive U.S. military cloud projects.
Microsoft Ends China-Based Support For U.S. Military Systems
On Friday, Microsoft announced that it will stop using China-based engineers to support U.S. military cloud systems. The move follows a ProPublica report that raised security concerns and led to a Pentagon review.
The ProPublica report revealed that Microsoft relied on Chinese engineers, overseen by U.S. "digital escorts" who had security clearances but often lacked the technical expertise to spot possible cybersecurity risks in their work.
This revelation raised serious concerns, especially given Microsoft's history of system breaches by Chinese and Russian hackers, though the company claims it had disclosed these practices to the U.S. government.
Frank Shaw, a Microsoft spokesperson, confirmed the change on X, stating the company adjusted its support for U.S. government clients "in response to concerns raised earlier this week...to assure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance" for Pentagon services.
Earlier on Friday, Senator Tom Cotton sent a letter to Secretary Hegseth, asking for a full list of contractors using Chinese workers and more information on how U.S. "digital escorts" are trained.
"The U.S. government recognizes that China's cyber capabilities pose one of the most aggressive and dangerous threats to the United States, as evidenced by infiltration of our critical infrastructure, telecommunications networks, and supply chains," Cotton wrote in the letter. The U.S. military "must guard against all potential threats within its supply chain, including those from subcontractors," he further wrote.
Responding swiftly, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a video posted on X, declared a two-week review to ensure no other Defense Department cloud service contracts involve China-based engineers.
He said, "I'm announcing that China will no longer have any involvement whatsoever in our cloud services, effective immediately. We will continue to monitor and counter all threats to our military infrastructure and online networks."
This decisive action signals a clear intent to fortify the nation's defense against potential foreign cyber vulnerabilities.
As Microsoft moves to address concerns over foreign involvement in its defense contracts, another Big Tech giant, Meta, is confronting national security accusations.
WhatsApp Faces Imminent Exit From Russia Amidst Security Concerns
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, has been told to prepare to leave the Russian market by lawmakers claiming it poses a national security threat, and will likely be added to a list of restricted apps.
Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the lower house of parliament's information technology committee, stated via Telegram, "It's time for WhatsApp to prepare to leave the Russian market."
He highlighted that Meta is officially designated as an extremist organization in Russia, with its Facebook and Instagram platforms already banned since 2022.
The move comes as Russia intensifies its efforts to bolster its digital sovereignty. Last month, President Vladimir Putin signed legislation authorizing the development of MAX, a state-backed messaging app integrated with government services.
Gorelkin believes MAX could gain substantial market share should WhatsApp exit, vacating the market share of 68% currently used by Russians daily. This also aligns with the 1.9% rise in shares of state-controlled technology company VK, a developer of homegrown digital services, on Friday.
Anton Nemkin, another member of parliament's IT committee, affirmed WhatsApp's predetermined fate. "The presence of such a service in Russia's digital space is, in fact, a legal breach of national security," Nemkin quoted as saying by TASS.
Critics are concerned that the new state-backed app could track users and that Russia might slow down WhatsApp to push people toward local alternatives. A similar tactic appears to have reduced YouTube’s audience in Russia over the past year.
President Putin has set a September 1 deadline for introducing further restrictions on software, including communication services, from "unfriendly countries." Gorelkin indicated that WhatsApp is expected to be among these restricted services.
While global tensions are rising, the aviation sector is now reeling from cyber risk, with airlines like Alaska facing disruptions amid growing threats.
Alaska Airlines Resumes Flights After IT Outage
Alaska Airlines, a prominent U.S. carrier, resumed flight operations late Sunday evening after an IT outage forced a system-wide ground stop for approximately three hours. This marks the second time in just over a year that the airline has faced such a significant operational halt due to technical issues. The incident also closely follows a sudden rise in cyberattacks against airlines.
The disruption began around 8 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, impacting both Alaska and Horizon Air flights. By 11 p.m. Pacific, the carrier confirmed that the ground stop had been lifted, allowing flights to resume.
However, the ripple effect of the outage is expected to persist, as the Seattle-based airline stated, "As we reposition our aircraft and crews, there will most likely be residual impacts to our flights. It will take some time to get our overall operations back to normal."
The precise nature of the IT outage has not yet been disclosed by Alaska Airlines.
This latest incident follows an April 2024 grounding of Alaska's entire fleet, which was attributed to a problem with the system responsible for calculating aircraft weight and balance. The airline's operational fleet comprises 238 Boeing 737 and 87 Embraer 175 aircraft.
The timing of Alaska's IT woes coincides with warnings from tech giants Google and Palo Alto Networks regarding the "Scattered Spider" hacking group's alleged interest in the aviation sector. While other airlines, including WestJet and Qantas, have recently reported cyber incidents, those did not impact flying operations.
Whether it’s critical infrastructure, military systems, or consumer apps, the robust wave of cyber vulnerabilities washing over the globe necessitates a shift toward tighter digital controls and heightened cyber scrutiny.
Do you think these growing digital threats are a wake-up call for stronger cybersecurity across industries? Should Big Tech businesses reevaluate their security posture?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
First published on Mon, Jul 21, 2025
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