Security News > 2020 > July > UK, US, Canada Accuse Russia of Hacking Virus Vaccine Trials

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 services, is attacking academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in COVID-19 vaccine development.

The opposition Labour Party has accused the government of failing to publish the report because it would lead to other questions about links between Russia and the Brexit campaign in Britain's 2016 European Union membership referendum, which Johnson helped to lead. The intelligence committee met for the first time this week and said it would publish the Russia report before Parliament begins its summer break on July 22.

The report of Russia trying to hack COVID-19 vaccine research comes two years to the day since Trump stood alongside Putin in Helsinki and appeared to side with Moscow instead of U.S. intelligence agencies about the 2016 election interference.

"In recent attacks targeting COVID-19 vaccine research and development, the group conducted basic vulnerability scanning against specific external IP addresses owned by the organizations.

News URL

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Securityweek/~3/sg86Wqv8nDU/uk-us-canada-accuse-russia-hacking-virus-vaccine-trials