North Korean hackers suspected of targeting vaccine maker AstraZeneca in cyberattack

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North Korean hackers masqueraded as recruiters on networking site LinkedIn and WhatsApp in order to approach AstraZeneca staff, including those working on coronavirus research, with bogus offers, Reuters said. ’employment.

The suspected hackers then sent documents – some using Russian email addresses – claiming to be job descriptions that were actually interspersed with malicious code designed to give hackers access to the victim’s computers, Reuters reported.

According to Reuters sources, the hackers do not appear to have succeeded.

AstraZeneca hopes the world can focus on its positive vaccine news. But experts fear a lack of transparency has obscured

While AstraZeneca declined to comment on the matter, the University of Oxford – which is working with the drugmaker to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus – told CNN in a statement that the university is working closely. with the UK National Cyber ​​Security Center (NCSC) to ensure its protection.

“The University of Oxford is working closely with the National Cyber ​​Security Center to ensure that our COVID-19 research provides the best possible cybersecurity and protection,” a university spokesperson told CNN .

The NCSC did not comment directly on the matter, but told CNN on Friday it was “committed to protecting our most critical assets, the healthcare industry and critical vaccine research and development from threats.”

CNN has contacted the Mission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations in Geneva for an official comment, but has not yet received a response.

In a telephone conversation with CNN, a member of the mission’s staff said the Reuters report was “fake news”, alleging that the information was “fabricated”.

The report comes after a South Korean lawmaker said the country had also thwarted North Korean attempts to hack its own pharmaceutical companies working on coronavirus vaccines.

Speaking on Friday, lawmaker Ha Tae-Keung did not specify when the hack took place or which drug companies were targeted, but confirmed that North Korea had attempted to hack South Korean drug companies that are developing drugs. local coronavirus vaccines.

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