Hackers on the prowl: seeking to boycott coronavirus vaccines

The IT group of International Business Machines (IBM) on Thursday reported the presence of cyber attacks targeting COVID-19 vaccine distributors. Hackers who boast of having committed these crimes seek to interrupt the delivery of preparations or enter sensitive information, putting the laboratories at their mercy.

Through the blog of Claire Zaboeva Yes Melissa Frydrych, IBM cybersecurity analysts, it was possible to know the implementation of a global campaign of “Phishing” (identity theft) which seeks to prey on associated organizations whose job is to maintain the cold chain necessary for coronavirus vaccines.

North Korean hackers reportedly attacked Covid-19 vaccine makers

On this occasion, the attackers decided to pose as acquaintances and / or members of societies, mainly by e-mail, to obtain confidential data. In the messages they encouraged to provide Passwords O identification data, then exploited by malware.

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer, in collaboration with its German partner BioNTech, is one of the few developers of the antidote for infectious diseases that requires its vaccine not exposed to temperatures above -70 ° C. Otherwise, its effectiveness cannot be guaranteed. Currently, both companies have been given the green light to the distribution of the preparation in the United Kingdom, which motivated the hackers to act.

Vaccination against Covid in UK starts in a week

Another target of attack was the Directorate General of Taxation and Customs, service belonging to European Commission, as well as energy and IT companies based in South Korea, Taiwan, Czech republic, Italy Yes Germany.

At the moment, the true intentions of the hackers who carried out these attacks are not known. Mark Kedgleyc, provider of cybersecurity programs New network technologies, he assured: “behind that there is a state network or clear financial motivations.” Without evidence, the charges are directed against countries such as Russia, China Yes North Korea.

Last Wednesday, reports of similar cyber attacks targeting vaccine development companies were released Johnson & johnson, Novavax Yes AstraZeneca, based on a report by the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal.

jfg / ds