This hack was very sophisticated and targeted ("plausible-sounding prompts pointing employees to a website that cloned the behavior of our intranet gateway") but wasn't after the easily monetizable stuff (user emails, which in combination with their most used subreddits would be very valuable for targeted spam), but instead went for data on employees and business partners. This sure seems like a setup for attacking a more valuable target.

You've been downvoted, but of course it's reasonable to think 'not a coincidence'. But I'd actually say that it's not a particularly interesting observation given how many nation state backed intelligence (or even crime, assuming a difference) groups there are that do frequently hack large companies and government agencies. The pertinent thing here is that we simply don't know, and there are also plenty of boring criminal groups that also hack.

I don't know if you are implying that it's related to the war or something. Sadly, I am more of the belief that it's a trend. I think we will see much more of it.

Security done well is a bit expensive and boring. Thus lots of hacks because everyone is cheap and every one has a short attention span

It's feasible it's related to layoffs. I dunno if it is actually related but no time like the present if everyone's on edge.

Want to phish someone in 2023? Send an email saying they've been laid off. Link to an article (which requires auth to read, of course) for full details of their redundancy payout.

Its just more news worthy, is all.

Definitely a coincidence and not a conspiracy of spooks working for the NSA (and similar) breaching servers in order to con you into getting a government spying device (cell phone).

So many compared to when?