Microsoft recruits former intelligence and military personnel to help it ferret out state-backed hackers.
Photographer: Witthaya Prasongsin/Getty ImagesThe Elite Microsoft Unit Constantly Working to Thwart Hackers
Over the past decade, the software company has become a pillar of US cyber defenses — a position that could become more complicated under Trump.
The clues that hackers had broken into a major US telecom were almost imperceptible — like tiny undulations in a river’s current. To the company, the ripples looked like normal traffic, according to a person familiar with the attack. But to threat analysts at Microsoft Corp., they pointed to the presence of intruders.
At the time, there was no way of assessing the seriousness of the breach. Months of detective work lay ahead. But the potential harm was clear, according to the person, who says even tiny waves could presage downstream devastation.