Russia trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine data, say UK, U.S. and Canada

[webfact]

Russia trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine data, say UK, U.S. and Canada

By William James and Steve Scherer

 

FILE PHOTO: Hands are seen on a keyboard in front of a displayed cyber code in this picture illustration taken October 4, 2018. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

 

LONDON/OTTAWA (Reuters) - Hackers backed by the Russian state are trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world, Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said on Thursday.

 

A co-ordinated statement from Britain, the United States and Canada attributed the attacks to group APT29, also known as 'Cozy Bear', which they said was almost certainly operating as part of Russian intelligence services.

 

"We condemn these despicable attacks against those doing vital work to combat the coronavirus pandemic," said NCSC Director of Operations, Paul Chichester.

 

Russian news agency RIA cited spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying the Kremlin rejected London's allegations, which he said were not backed by proper evidence.

 

In a separate announcement Britain also accused "Russian actors" of trying to interfere in its 2019 election by trying to spread leaked documents online. Russia's foreign ministry said those accusations were "foggy and contradictory".

 

Hackers backed by the Russian state are trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world, Britain's National Cyber Security Centre has said. Joe Davies reports.

 

Britain is expected to publish a long-delayed report into Russian influence in British politics next week.

 

"SELFISH INTERESTS"

British foreign minister Dominic Raab said it was "completely unacceptable" for Russian intelligence services to target work on the pandemic.

 

"While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour, the UK and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health," he said in a statement. He said Britain would work with allies to hold perpetrators to account.

 

The NCSC said the group's attacks were continuing and used a variety of tools and techniques, including spear-phishing and custom malware.

 

"APT29 is likely to continue to target organisations involved in COVID-19 vaccine research and development, as they seek to answer additional intelligence questions relating to the pandemic," the NCSC statement said.

 

Canadian authorities said the attacks were hindering response efforts and that risks to health organisations were elevated. Canada's signals intelligence and cyber threat centre advised institutions to take action to protect themselves.

 

Britain and the United States said in May that networks of hackers were targeting national and international organisations responding to the pandemic. But such attacks have not previously been explicitly connected to the Russian state.

 

The Russian government-linked group Cozy Bear is widely suspected of hacking the Democratic Party before the 2016 U.S. election.

 

(Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper in London and Andrew Osborn and Gabrielle Tétrault-Farbe in Moscow; editing by Stephen Addison, William Maclean)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-17

 

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[pegman]

There is a worldwide pandemic happening. For the greater good all research should be freely and widely spread so a preventative vaccine can be found in the quickest time frame possible. Hoarding information is counter productive. It's all about the $$$ to these cretins. 

[Puchaiyank]

Give the Russians the info...someone has to stop Chinese expansion.

[ezzra]

Sure, why work hard and invest for it if you can steal it right? as in this day and age everybody spy and steal from everybody, not only to gain grounds but to sabotage as well if you have seen what have been happening in Iran lately...

[Tug]

2 hours ago, pegman said:

There is a worldwide pandemic happening. For the greater good all research should be freely and widely spread so a preventative vaccine can be found in the quickest time frame possible. Hoarding information is counter productive. It's all about the $$$ to these cretins. 

Ditto pegman totally agree this is a moment in time we’re everyone should be cooperating for the common good wouldent that be something!!!

[Dumbastheycome]

And of course it is  only the  Russians who are involved in  such acts !

The "allies" so engrossed in finding a vaccine for the benefit of  mankind  would  have no desire  to do such a thing !

Not  much !

[Benmart]

17 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

And of course it is  only the  Russians who are involved in  such acts !

The "allies" so engrossed in finding a vaccine for the benefit of  mankind  would  have no desire  to do such a thing !

Not  much !

Source please.

[Benmart]

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Ditto pegman totally agree this is a moment in time we’re everyone should be cooperating for the common good wouldent that be something!!!

Perhaps you can initiate such a movement of international cooperation and dialog. Oh wait! I think the United Nations has that in their charter.

[Enzian]

Technically the Russians are no longer communists, but hey! what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine, so let's share!

[Dumbastheycome]

22 minutes ago, Benmart said:

Source please.

Source of? My sarcasm ? 

Me !

[gazza4]

4 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

And of course it is  only the  Russians who are involved in  such acts !

The "allies" so engrossed in finding a vaccine for the benefit of  mankind  would  have no desire  to do such a thing !

Not  much !

The Russians are experts. Look at how easily they stole the American election from the majority of American voters

[Dumbastheycome]

24 minutes ago, gazza4 said:

The Russians are experts. Look at how easily they stole the American election from the majority of American voters

lol. Are they? Did they? It seems everyone has the  hevidence. Maybe the other team  is more expert ?

Or because they are the accusers what they do is of less scrutiny, better security, better funded  than the Russians?

[Scot123]

Of course they are but mere amateurs compared to China.

[natway09]

The world should be sharing this one anyway

[dundee48]

Good point,after all China gave the virus for free.

[Eric Loh]

Note to US military intelligence. Don’t bring up this piece of Russia espionage  to Trump if you want to remain employed. 

[Morch]

13 hours ago, pegman said:

There is a worldwide pandemic happening. For the greater good all research should be freely and widely spread so a preventative vaccine can be found in the quickest time frame possible. Hoarding information is counter productive. It's all about the $$$ to these cretins. 

 

Is Russia fully and openly sharing information with the rest of the world? Yeah, thought so.

[Sujo]

Why care who is or isnt being open. All should be open besides money what could be a reason to keep it secret.

 

The world economy is a shambles so send info out to everyone and get it sorted.

 

I dont care what country finds the answer. Just find it. The more that have all the info then the better chances.

[Morch]

On 7/17/2020 at 6:49 PM, Sujo said:

Why care who is or isnt being open. All should be open besides money what could be a reason to keep it secret.

 

The world economy is a shambles so send info out to everyone and get it sorted.

 

I dont care what country finds the answer. Just find it. The more that have all the info then the better chances.

 

In an ideal world, perhaps. As is stands, some countries are neither open nor super-cooperative with regard to finding a cure/vaccine or other research related to Covid-19.

 

The implied message in your post is that the USA (and presumably, other Western countries) ought to share, while the likes of Russia or China do not.

 

The country who'll "find the answer" first will have a nice head start in the post-Corona world. There's a bit more than "money" involved there, I think.

 

 

[sammieuk1]

Think the Russians are more interested in Boris and Dominics secrets like how the hell is he PM and the other still in a job????