Tech giant Microsoft (MSFT) is running into a lot of security problems lately. Yesterday, we found out how an Iranian attack was taking aim at companies the world over. Now, Microsoft brought out word of another new attack targeting Microsoft businesses all over. The revelation gave Microsoft a bit of an edge, however, as shares rose modestly in Wednesday afternoon’s trading.
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The word from Microsoft Defender Security Research focuses on EvilTokens, an attack that represents a “…widespread phishing campaign leveraging the Device Code Authentication flow….” This attack has produced significant results, including hundreds of organizations that have been hit in one way or another.
Normally, device codes expire in 15 minutes. But with the EvilTokens attack, that window matters a lot less than it normally would. Microsoft offered up a list of ways for businesses to protect themselves, starting with minimizing device code flow, and offering education about “common phishing techniques.” Users should have anti-phishing policies in place, and sign-in prompts should “…clearly identify the application being authenticated to.”
Troubling Sales Numbers
Meanwhile, sales numbers recently emerged for both the Xbox Series S / Series X and the largest immediate competitor, Sony’s (SONY) PlayStation 5. The Xbox line sold just over 34.4 million units in February 2026 sales, while the PlayStation sold nearly three times that number at over 91 million units.
The impact of this study is somewhat limited, though. Sony has been leading Microsoft for some time now in console sales, and that trend is not likely to change this close to the end of the current generation. The next generation is the more likely concern here, as parallels will be tough to establish. Xbox Helix will be fundamentally different from Xbox Series X. With Microsoft planning to add support for PC games to its next console, it will fundamentally change the console market as a whole.
Is Microsoft a Buy, Hold or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on MSFT stock based on 34 Buys and three Holds assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 4.66% rally in its share price over the past year, the average MSFT price target of $581.61 per share implies 54.43% upside potential.
