Microsoft hacked by same cyberattack as Apple and Facebook

The software giant said it experienced a "security intrusion" similar to those suffered by social media site Facebook and technology company Apple earlier this month.

In a blog posted on its website, Microsoft insisted that there was no evidence of customer data being taken.

It said a small number of computers, including some of its Apple Mac computers – which are reputed to be targeted less by viruses compared to Windows computers.

Matt Thomlinson, general manager of Microsoft's trustworthy computing security team, said: "This type of cyberattack is no surprise to Microsoft and other companies that must grapple with determined and persistent adversaries."

Last week

A few days earlier Facebook admitted it had been targeted in a similar way through a loophole in Java software created by a mobile developer called Oracle.

Facebook said that the malware infected employee laptops even though they were running up to date antivirus software, and described the attack as "sophisticated"

Describing the attack on Microsoft, Mr Thomlinson said: "As reported by Facebook and Apple, Microsoft can confirm that we also recently experienced a similar security intrusion.

"During our investigation, we found a small number of computers, including some in our Mac business unit, that were infected by malicious software using techniques similar to those documented by other organisations.

"We have no evidence of customer data being affected and our investigation is ongoing."

Like Facebook, Microsoft says it is still investigating how malicious software was planted on what it said were a small number of its computers.

Online messaging service Twitter last month also revealed that hackers may have stolen information about 250,000 of its users. It said it was "not the work of amateurs".

The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal have all accused China of attacking their computer systems.