This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread globally, the UK and US have issued a joint warning about government-backed hackers targeting healthcare and medical research bodies.
According to a statement released by the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on May 5, 2020, hackers are actively targeting organisations involved in national and international COVID-19 responses to obtain intelligence on healthcare policy or acquire sensitive data on research related to the virus.
The two agencies have seen large-scale 'password spraying' campaigns to collect personal information, intellectual property, and other intelligence. Password spraying is a form of cyberattack in which a large number of accounts are hacked using common passwords.
The hackers are attempting to harvest information on the coronavirus outbreak from national and international healthcare institutions, pharmaceutical companies, research organisations, and local governments.
Protecting the healthcare sector is the NCSC's top priority, and they are working closely with the NHS to keep their systems safe, said NCSC Director of Operations Paul Chichester.
CISA Assistant Director Bryan Ware added that the agency has prioritised its cybersecurity services to healthcare and private organisations providing medical support services and supplies to prevent incidents and enable them to focus on their response to COVID-19.
Local media reported last week that British universities and scientific institutions had been targeted by hackers traced back to Russia, Iran, and likely China, allegedly attempting to steal coronavirus research, including on vaccines. There have been no successful attacks to date.
