UK, US, Canada accuse Russia of hacking virus vaccine trials
LONDON (AP) — Britain, the United States and Canada accused Russian hackers on Thursday of trying to steal information from researchers seeking a coronavirus vaccine, warning scientists and pharmaceutical companies to be alert for suspicious activity.
Intelligence agencies in the three nations alleged that the hacking group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear and said to be part of the Russian intelligence service, is attacking academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in COVID-19 vaccine development.
“It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic,'' British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement, accusing Moscow of pursuing “selfish interests with reckless behavior.”
Russia's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The persistent and ongoing attacks are seen by intelligence officials as an effort to steal intellectual property, rather than to disrupt research. The campaign of “malicious activity'' is ongoing and includes attacks “predominantly against government, diplomatic, think tank, health care and energy targets,'' Britain's National Cyber Security Centre said in a statement.
Britain's NCSC said its assessment was shared by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Security Agency, and by the Canadian Communication Security Establishment.
It was unclear whether any information actually was stolen, but the U.K. says individuals’ confidential information is not believed to have been compromised.
The U.K. statement did not say whether Russian President Vladimir Putin knew about the vaccine research hacking, but British officials believe such...
