Top Treasury Email Accounts Exposed In SolarWinds Hack: Report The hackers performed a complex step inside Microsoft Office 365 to create an encrypted “token” that tricked the Treasury’s system into thinking the hackers were legitimate users, The New York Times said. By Michael Novinson December 21, 2020, 10:12 PM EST The SolarWinds hackers seized upon a Microsoft flaw to infiltrate the email system used by the U.S. Treasury Department’s senior leadership, The New York Times reported. Dozens of Treasury email accounts were compromised, including those in the departmental offices division, where the most senior officials operate, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., told the Times on Monday. Hackers gained access to the Treasury’s email system in July by manipulating internal software keys, and the breach came to light from Microsoft, which runs much of Treasury’s communications software.