Hackers in recent weeks have exploited flaws in SharePoint, a document management system developed by Microsoft Corp., to try to steal sensitive data from hundreds of victims.

A cyber-espionage campaign centered on vulnerable versions of Microsoft's server software now involves the deployment of ransomware, Microsoft said in a late Wednesday blog post.

Multiple hacking groups—including state actors from China—have targeted a vulnerability in older, on-premises versions of the file-sharing tool after a flawed attempt to patch it.