March 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange

Commission is asking technology and telecom companies how they

handled the SolarWinds ( SWI ) cyber attack in 2020, Bloomberg

News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the

matter.

The hack of information technology company SolarWinds ( SWI ), one

of the broadest and most sophisticated cyber attacks in the

United States, was identified in December 2020 and gave away

access to thousands of companies and government offices that

used its products.

Hackers were able to use the company's flagship network

management software called Orion as a springboard into U.S.

government networks and international targets.

The regulator has asked for internal communications of

affected companies about the cyber attack's impact, probing for

gaps in corporate security and for other cyber incidents, the

report said, citing people familiar with the matter who did not

identify the companies.

The SEC did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for

comment on the report.

Last year, the SEC sued the software company and its top

information security executive, saying they defrauded investors

by hiding cybersecurity weaknesses during the massive hack.