Microsoft remained a dominant force in the digital ecosystem in 2024—but also a magnet for cyber threats. This report delivers a data-driven breakdown of key cyberattacks that targeted Microsoft or exploited its products globally between January and December 2024. Cybersecurity professionals will find detailed analysis of threat actors, exploited vulnerabilities, attack vectors, volume of attacks, and Microsoft’s response efforts. The findings highlight the rising sophistication of nation-state actors, the weaponization of unpatched software, and the strategic use of DDoS and identity-based attacks. Over 600 million attacks targeted Microsoft customers daily, while over 1,000 vulnerabilities were patched across Microsoft products, dozens of them actively exploited.

Attacks on Microsoft’s Core Infrastructure

Midnight Blizzard Campaign (January to March 2024)

In one of the most significant state-sponsored campaigns of the year, the Russian-linked group APT29, also known as Midnight Blizzard, infiltrated Microsoft’s internal corporate network. By using password spraying techniques against a legacy account lacking multi-factor authentication, the attackers gained access to sensitive email inboxes, including those of Microsoft’s legal and senior leadership teams. The breach occurred in late 2023 but was publicly disclosed in January 2024.

The attackers persisted into March, attempting to reenter the system using previously stolen data. Microsoft confirmed that the attack volume increased tenfold in February compared to the previous month. The company immediately launched a full investigation, notified potentially affected customers, and hardened internal security protocols.

Azure DDoS Disruption (July 2024)

On July 30, 2024, Microsoft experienced one of the largest Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks in its history. The attack overwhelmed Azure Front Door, the Azure portal, and the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, causing widespread service disruptions for nearly eight hours. The botnet identified in this attack was the notorious Meris network, known for its high-bandwidth capabilities.

Microsoft later acknowledged that a misconfiguration in its DDoS protection system inadvertently amplified the impact of the attack. By mid-2024, Azure DDoS incidents were peaking at over 4,500 daily. Following the event, Microsoft implemented new detection rules and upgraded its DDoS mitigation pipeline.

Partner Center Exploit (November 2024)

In November, a critical vulnerability (CVE-2024-49035) in Microsoft’s Partner Center web application was exploited in the wild. The flaw allowed unauthenticated attackers to escalate privileges within the Microsoft Power Apps environment. Security researchers confirmed active exploitation, prompting Microsoft to deploy an automated patch.

CISA added the vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Microsoft simultaneously initiated an internal audit across its partner ecosystem to assess similar risks.

Exploitation of Microsoft Products

Exchange Server Zero-Day (February 2024)

February’s Patch Tuesday addressed a zero-day flaw in Microsoft Exchange Server 2019, tracked as CVE-2024-21410. This NTLM relay vulnerability enabled attackers to impersonate users by exploiting Outlook clients. Within days of the patch, reports surfaced of active exploitation. Microsoft responded by enabling Extended Protection for Authentication (EPA) by default on Exchange builds.

Outlook Espionage Campaigns (May 2024)

In May, governments across Europe—including Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic—reported targeted intrusions involving Outlook vulnerabilities. Attackers, suspected to be Russian APTs, used malicious calendar invites to steal NTLM credentials and access sensitive diplomatic communications. These campaigns underscored the ongoing risks posed by outdated or unpatched email clients.

SharePoint Server Takeover (October 2024)

An authenticated remote code execution vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint Server, CVE-2024-38094, was exploited in the wild in October. Attackers leveraged the bug to gain full domain access in several enterprise environments. Public proof-of-concept exploits were published on GitHub, heightening the urgency for immediate patching.

Windows CLFS Flaws in Ransomware (Q2–Q4 2024)

Throughout the year, ransomware groups exploited multiple privilege escalation bugs in the Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) driver. These flaws were instrumental in post-exploitation lateral movement. Microsoft issued five patches targeting CLFS vulnerabilities between April and December 2024.

Azure AD MFA Bypass (October 2024)

Researchers reported a conditional access bypass vulnerability in Azure Active Directory’s multi factor authentication flow. Though Microsoft addressed the issue swiftly, the discovery highlighted the evolving techniques attackers use to compromise identity protections.

Statistical Highlights

Global Attack Volume

Microsoft reported blocking over 600 million cyberattacks per day across its platforms in 2024. Its security infrastructure processed 78 trillion signals daily through the Defender XDR ecosystem. Azure alone faced more than 8 million DDoS attacks per quarter, many of them originating from IoT botnets.

Vulnerability Landscape

Microsoft patched 1,088 vulnerabilities in 2024. Of these, 768 CVEs were confirmed exploited in the wild globally—a 20% increase from 2023. Each month saw 30 to 50 newly exploited vulnerabilities, many in Microsoft’s core products.

Threat Category Trends (2024 Microsoft Digital Defense Report)

Ransomware attacks surged by 2.75x, driven by better exploit kits and credential abuse tools. Phishing incidents skyrocketed by 4151%, fueled by generative AI tools that enabled realistic and convincing lures. Password-based attacks remained dominant, accounting for 99.9% of identity breaches. DDoS threats escalated significantly, with attack peaks exceeding 4,500 per day by mid-year.

Geographic Distribution of Threats

The United States faced a barrage of ransomware and identity-based attacks, with Azure services also targeted by global botnets. Europe saw a wave of espionage, particularly through Outlook and Exchange vulnerabilities, aimed at NATO-member states.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese-linked actors targeted smaller nations such as Palau and compromised data from the UK’s Ministry of Defence through supply chain channels. The Middle East and parts of Africa experienced hacktivist-led DDoS campaigns, while phishing attempts against Office 365 users spiked.

Microsoft’s Defense & Mitigation Efforts

Microsoft’s incident response in 2024 emphasized transparency, rapid mitigation, and ecosystem-wide collaboration. Key strategies included:

• Disclosures & Reporting: Timely updates about Midnight Blizzard and partner portal exploits
• Patch Cadence: Over 1,000 vulnerabilities patched across Patch Tuesday cycles
• Threat Intel Sharing: Continuous updates to CISA KEV and collaboration with JCDC and ISACs
• Cloud Security Measures: Auto-patching critical Azure and Power Platform vulnerabilities
• AI-Driven Defense: Deployment of Copilot agents for phishing triage, data loss prevention, and vulnerability prioritization
• Customer Enablement: Enhanced audit logging, Zero Trust best practices, and conditional access enforcement guidance

To Sum Up

The 2024 Microsoft cyberattack landscape reveals a stark reality for defenders: from state-sponsored intelligence gathering to financially motivated ransomware and botnet disruptions, adversaries have become faster, stealthier, and more capable. Microsoft’s scale and footprint make it a constant target—and a frontline platform in the fight for cyber resilience.

Cybersecurity teams must accelerate patch cycles, enforce passwordless authentication, and adopt intelligent, AI-assisted defenses. Zero Trust is no longer optional. It is the only sustainable posture in a world where every identity, device, and workload is a potential entry point. As threat actors innovate, defenders must lead with speed, intelligence, and relentless vigilance.

Sources

• Microsoft Security Response Center: https://msrc.microsoft.com
• CISA KEV Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
• Reuters Cybersecurity: https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity
• BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com
• The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com
• DarkReading: https://www.darkreading.com
• Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2024: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog
• HelpNetSecurity: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com
• CSIS Threat Intelligence: https://www.csis.org/programs/technology-policy-program/cybersecurity
• Microsoft Blogs: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com
• Microsoft Patch Tuesday Portal: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide
• Microsoft Defender Reports: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog