News

Hacker Defaces Microsoft U.K. Web Page

A hacker managed a rare feat Wednesday, successfully attacking a Web page within Microsoft's U.K. domain and replacing the page with several graphics related to Saudi Arabia.

The hacked page was a U.K. events page here. It has since been fixed. According to the security site Zone-h, a SQL injection attack is the likely culprit. Zone-h reported the hack methodology: "Most probably, the attacker exploited the site by means of SQL injection to insert the HTML code "" in a field belonging to the table which gets read every time a new page is generated." This would work on a page utilizing Microsoft's SQL Server.

The defaced page had three images: a child waving a green and white flag of Saudi Arabia, a woman with a green scarf over her face and a stand-alone image of the Saudi Arabian flag. Beneath the flag is a message that reads "HACKED BY rEmOtEr".

U.K. website The Register quoted a Microsoft spokesperson as saying that although the attack was embarrassing, it didn't appear to be serious. "There is no reason to believe customer data or any other sensitive information has been compromised."

About the Author

Keith Ward is the editor in chief of Virtualization & Cloud Review. Follow him on Twitter @VirtReviewKeith.

Featured

  • Report: Cost, Sustainability Drive DaaS Adoption Beyond Remote Work

    Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service reveals that while secure remote access remains a key driver of DaaS adoption, a growing number of deployments now focus on broader efficiency goals.

  • Windows 365 Reserve, Microsoft's Cloud PC Rental Service, Hits Preview

    Microsoft has launched a limited public preview of its new "Windows 365 Reserve" service, which lets organizations rent cloud PC instances in the event their Windows devices are stolen, lost or damaged.

  • Hands-On AI Skills Now Outshine Certs in Salary Stakes

    For AI-related roles, employers are prioritizing verifiable, hands-on abilities over framed certificates -- and they're paying a premium for it.

  • Roadblocks in Enterprise AI: Data and Skills Shortfalls Could Cost Millions

    Businesses risk losing up to $87 million a year if they fail to catch up with AI innovation, according to the Couchbase FY 2026 CIO AI Survey released this month.