UK, US and Canada accuse Russia of hacking COVID-19 vaccine trials

LONDON — Britain, the United States and Canada accuse Russia of trying to steal information from researchers seeking a COVID-19 vaccine.

The three nations allege that hacking group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear and said to be part of the Russian intelligence service, is attacking academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in coronavirus vaccine development.

Britain’s National Cybersecurity Centre makes the announcement, which was coordinated with authorities in the US and Canada.

“It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says in a statement. “While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behavior, the UK and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health.”

The persistent and ongoing attacks are seen by intelligence officials as an effort to steal intellectual property, rather than to disrupt research. The campaign of “malicious activity” is ongoing and includes attacks ”predominantly against government, diplomatic, think-tank, healthcare and energy targets,” the National Cybersecurity Centre says in a statement.

It’s unclear whether any information actually was stolen but the center says individuals’ confidential information is not believed to have been compromised.

Cozy Bear, also known as the “dukes,″ has been identified by Washington as one of two Russian government-linked hacking groups that broke into the Democratic National Committee computer network and stole emails ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The other group is usually called Fancy Bear.

— AP