US Fermilab Hit By Cyberattack Amid Global Microsoft SharePoint Vulnerability

The incident follows reports that a recent Microsoft security patch failed to fully address a serious flaw in SharePoint server software

Fermilab, established in 1967 and widely recognized as America’s premier particle physics and accelerator research facility, is just one of several entities affected by the flaw

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A recent cybersecurity breach linked to a vulnerability in Microsoft’s SharePoint software has reached one of the United States Department of Energy’s premier research facilities, according to a report by Bloomberg News. The attack targeted the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, commonly known as Fermilab, in what appears to be a broader cyber espionage campaign.

"Attackers did attempt to access Fermilab's SharePoint servers," a spokesperson for the Department of Energy (DOE) told Bloomberg. However, the intrusion was quickly detected. "The attackers were quickly identified, and the impact was minimal, with no sensitive or classified data accessed," the spokesperson confirmed. According to the DOE, Fermilab’s systems have since been restored and are now operating normally.

Unpatched Flaws Open Door To Cyber Threats

The incident follows reports that a recent Microsoft security patch failed to fully address a serious flaw in SharePoint server software. The vulnerability, first identified in May, has since been exploited in a global cyber espionage operation. While Microsoft issued a patch last month, cybersecurity analysts say the update left certain loopholes open, enabling threat actors to gain unauthorized access to targeted systems.

DOE Facilities Facing Broader Threat Landscape

Fermilab, established in 1967 and widely recognized as America’s premier particle physics and accelerator research facility, is just one of several entities affected by the flaw. A DOE spokesperson previously confirmed to Reuters that the same SharePoint vulnerability impacted additional systems, including those managed by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which oversees the country’s nuclear weapons arsenal.

The department stated last week that all impacted systems were undergoing restoration and security checks to prevent further breaches.

The breach underscores the growing risks posed by software vulnerabilities, especially within critical infrastructure sectors and national laboratories tasked with high-level scientific and security missions.