Microsoft says hackers use open source components that were eliminated 17 years ago to attack the energy grid.

CTOnews.com, November 24 (Xinhua) Microsoft recently warned that hackers have launched attacks on the energy grid using deactivated network servers in common Internet of things (IoT) devices. Microsoft said in a report released on Tuesday that it had found a vulnerable open source component in the Boa web server.

The picture is from recordedfutureCTOnews.com that although the component was discontinued in 2005, a large number of routers and security cameras still use the open source component and its software development kit (SDK). Microsoft discovered the faulty component in April of this year in an investigation into a power grid intrusion in India discovered by security company Recorded Future.

Microsoft said it had found more than 1 million Boa server components exposed to the internet in a survey over the past week and warned that the vulnerable components posed a "supply chain risk that could affect millions of organizations and devices".

Microsoft added that there is evidence that hackers are actively exploiting Boa vulnerabilities, including a highly serious disclosure vulnerability (CVE-2021-33558) and another arbitrary file access vulnerability (CVE-2017-9833).

"known [vulnerabilities] that affect such components allow attackers to gather information about network assets before launching an attack and enter the network undetected by obtaining valid credentials," Microsoft said.