Coronavirus: Cyber-spies seek coronavirus vaccine secrets
Leo Daniels • May 1, 2020
This is a subtitle for your new post
The US has seen foreign spy agencies carry out reconnaissance of research into a coronavirus vaccine, a senior US intelligence official has told the BBC.
Bill Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, said the US government had warned medical research organisations of the risks.
But he would not say whether there had been confirmed cases of stolen data.
UK security sources say they have also seen similar activity.
Warp speed
An international race is on to find a vaccine for Covid-19.
Researchers, companies and governments are all involved. And their efforts are simultaneously being protected by domestic spy agencies, while being targeted by foreign ones.
Mr Evanina’s organisation provides advice on countering the work of foreign intelligence agencies to the US government, businesses and academia.
“We have been working with our industry and government folk here very closely to ensure they are protecting all the research and data as best they can,” he said.
“We have every expectation that foreign intelligence services, to include the Chinese Communist Party, will attempt to obtain what we are making here.”
The US government is trying to aid work on a vaccine with a programme reportedly called Operation Warp Speed.
Whichever country discovers the first effective and safe formulation may be able to ensure its citizens are first to benefit.
“We’ve been in contact with every medical research organisation that is doing the research to be very, very vigilant,” Mr Evanina added.
“In today’s world there is nothing more valuable or worth stealing than any kind of biomedical research that is going to help with a coronavirus vaccine.”
Hospital attacks
In mid-April, an FBI official said there had been “some intrusions” into institutions working on Covid-related research.
Deputy assistant director Tonya Ugoretz said bio-medical data had long been “a priority target for cyber-espionage” and organisations publicly linked to work on the virus had become a “mark”.
Later in the month, the US assistant attorney general for national security, John Demers, said it would be “beyond absurd” to think China would not be interested in such details.
Canada’s Centre for Cyber Security warned in March that “sophisticated threat actors may attempt to steal the intellectual property of organisations engaged in research and development related to Covid-19.”
US and Western spies are also likely to be interested in what is going on inside China, including any discrepancies over the death toll from Covid-19 as well as its research on vaccines and treatments.
There have also been ongoing concerns about the risks of cyber-attacks against health organisations, which could undermine their ability to respond to the outbreak.
Two hospitals in the Czech Republic reported experiencing cyber-attacks in April. This led to an unusual request from the US Secretary of State.
“We call upon the actor in question to refrain from carrying out disruptive malicious cyber-activity against the Czech Republic’s healthcare system or similar infrastructure elsewhere,” Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
We’re 1-fix, we can help you secure your business
At 1-fix, we take a realistic approach to technology – ensuring our client’s systems are best protected.
If you have any concerns, questions or simply want to explore how to better secure your business, please do get in touch with the team for a FREE demonstration, consultation to explore how exposed your business might be and identify actions to take.
To book a consultation or to arrange a further discussion, please get in touch.
Join Our Mailing List
All sign-ups are handled inline with our privacy policy and can unsubscribe at any time.
Recent Blogs
Microsoft 365 Business Basic offers a range of cloud-based services designed to empower businesses to work smarter and more efficiently. Let's delve into what this package includes and how it can benefit your organisation.
We’re excited to announce an informative webinar featuring Elliot Wilkie from Brigantia and Craig Atkins from 1-Fix, diving deep into the world of DMARC on 8th July at 2 PM . This is an essential session for anyone looking to secure their email communications, understand DMARC compliance, and enhance their email deliverability.
Businesses are constantly seeking ways to enhance productivity, collaboration, and security, all whilst managing costs effectively. Microsoft Office 365 presents a comprehensive solution that caters to these needs. Here’s a breakdown of the seven key benefits of using Office 365 for your business.
In recent news from Microsoft, there’s significant information affecting charity organisations that rely on Microsoft 365 for their everyday operations. Microsoft has announced that it will be discontinuing the Microsoft 365 Business Premium grant, which currently provides 10 free licenses to nonprofits, with termination slated for March 8, 2026 . Therefore, charities currently benefitting from this grant must prepare for upcoming changes.
Staying efficient and connected has never been more important for businesses. With the increasing demand for remote work solutions and collaborative tools, migrating to Microsoft Office 365 is becoming an essential strategy. In this blog post, we’ll explore the many benefits of Office 365 migration, how 1-Fix can assist you in the process, and how swift and seamless this transition can be.
We explore the recent cyber attacks on Marks & Spencer and the Co-Op and learn how SMEs can protect themselves against rising cybersecurity risks.
