NEW YORK, July 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge dismissed

much of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's lawsuit

accusing software company SolarWinds ( SWI ) of defrauding

investors by hiding security weaknesses before and after a

massive cyberattack targeting the U.S. government.

U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in Manhattan said the

SEC can pursue a securities fraud claim based on a statement on

SolarWinds' ( SWI ) website prior to the so-called Sunburst attack about

the company's cybersecurity practices.

He dismissed all other claims based on pre-Sunburst

disclosures, and said all claims regarding post-Sunburst

disclosures were based on "hindsight and speculation" and also

required dismissal.