Microsoft announced on Monday that it has disrupted the cyber-spying of a state-backed Chinese hacking group by seizing 42 websites used to gather intelligence from foreign ministries, think tanks and human rights organizations in 29 different countries, including the US. The company said a Virginia federal court granted its request last Thursday to seize the domains from the group it calls Nickel – but is also known as APT15 and Vixen Panda. This allowed Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit to take-over US-based websites and redirect traffic to its secure servers to 'help us protect existing and future victims while learning more…