SUSPICIONS THAR RUSSIAN HAKERS ARE TRYING TO STEAL UK 'S CORONAVIRUS RESEARCH

According to National Cyber Security Centre, Russian hackers are trying to steal the UK’s coronavirus research.

Together with the US and Canadian security agencies the NSCE indicated an established hacker group known as APT29, Cosy Bear or the Dukes.

And for the first time since the suspicious group’s existence became known, the allied agencies said Apt29 (Advanced Persistent Threat Groups - Chinese cyber espionage group)  is “most certainly” working as part of the Russian intelligence services.

Although neither the NCSC nor the US National Security Agency clearly accused president Putin of ordering the group’s activities it is speculated that there is information at the highest levels of the Russian administration.

Oxford University 

Imperial College London

It is believed that the vaccine research facilities at Oxford University and Imperial College, London are among institutions forged by hackers, who are thought to operate by exploiting weaknesses in VPN  (Virtual Private Network) and extended services used by researches.

The attacks form a pattern which has shown both state and criminal organisations shift cyber activity in order to target potentially valuable intellectual property of vaccines for COVID-19, during the pandemic.

Head of  NCSC Ciaran Martin

“Working with our allies, the NCSC is committed to protect the most critical assets and the top priority is to protect the health sector”, Mr Martin said.

“We would urge organisations to familiarise themselves with the advice we have published to help defend our networks’ known targets of APT29 include the UK, US and Canadian vaccine research and development organisations.

The campaign is not believed to be related to a separate attempt, by unidentified “Russian actors”, to interfere in December’s elections by propagating details of the government’s trade talks with the US, according to the foreign secretary Dominic Raab.

The British Foreign  Secretary Dominic Raab  

Talking after the NCSC announcement, Mr Raab called for an end to cyber-attacks by Russian intelligence services.

“It is completely unacceptable that Russian intelligence services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic,” said the foreign secretary.

“While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour[J1], the UK and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health. The UK will continue to counter those conducting cyberattacks and work with our allies to hold perpetrators to account.”

It is uncertain whether hackers have been successful in obtaining any scientific information from the UK during the attacks which are believed to be taking place. The NCSC has not stated what level of success the group has achieved, saying that its purpose is to heighten the consciousness of the risk which it poses and the need to take protective measures.