Hackers Look to Steal COVID-19 Vaccine Research

[silversurfer]

Content source

https://threatpost.com/state-sponsored-hackers-steal-covid-19-vaccine-research/157514/

The advanced threat actor known as APT29 has been hard at work attempting to pilfer COVID-19 vaccine research from academic and pharmaceutical research institutions in various countries around the world, including the U.S.

That’s according to a joint alert from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE), issued Thursday.

The 14-page advisory details the recent activity of Russia-linked APT29 (a.k.a. CozyBear or the Dukes), including the use of custom malware called “WellMess” and “WellMail” for data exfiltration.

“Throughout 2020, APT29 has targeted various organizations involved in COVID-19 vaccine development in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, highly likely with the intention of stealing information and intellectual property relating to the development and testing of COVID-19 vaccines,” the report noted.

 

[HarborFront]

I thought the US said China tried to steal the research vaccine? Now the Russians?

 

[James246]

The last two sentences below from the article (link below) are interesting, I have no idea if there is any truth to the Russian claims.

It's no coincidence that those accusations were made just after the announcement that the state regulators will be approving the Russian vaccine in August, Dmitriev added. Besides, stealing data from the UK would have made no sense for Moscow, as a Russian firm, R-Pharm, will be producing the British vaccine made by Oxford-based AstraZeneca.

“No secrets are needed. Everything is already given to R-Pharm,” Dmitriev said.


Returning to ‘highly likely’ tactics: Russia rejects UK’s ‘unsubstantiated’ claims of hacking & election meddling