WASHINGTON: Iranian hackers have hit more than 200 companies over the past two years, targeting thousands of people. Hackers have stolen corporate secrets and wiped data from computers.

According to Microsoft, hackers have affected oil-and-gas companies and makers of heavy machinery in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Germany, the United Kingdom, India and the US, incurring a loss of millions of dollars.

Holmium, the Iranian hacker group, that usually attacks big companies, have been targeting more than 2,200 people with phishing emails that can install malicious codes.