UK and US labs suffer malicious cyber hacks
Osirium Technologies
2.20p
16:55 27/10/23
Cyber attacks have been directed at various UK and US labs by state-backed entities in an attempt to steal data from universities, pharmaceutical firms and research institutes involved in the development of a coronavirus vaccine and studying the Covid-19 disease.
Avast
n/a
n/a
FTSE 250
20,508.75
15:45 15/11/24
FTSE 350
4,453.56
15:45 15/11/24
FTSE AIM All-Share
728.67
15:45 15/11/24
FTSE All-Share
4,411.85
15:45 15/11/24
Software & Computer Services
2,469.20
15:44 15/11/24
According to Sky News, a joint advisory warning published on Tuesday by the US and UK said that the culprits were understood to include China, Russia and Iran, although no specific countries were named.
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a branch of GCHQ, and its US counterpart, the US Cyber security and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), urged workers in healthcare and medical research to change easy-to-guess passwords.
None of the attacks in the UK were believed to have succeeded, but Sky News reported that the attacks had achieved their aim elsewhere.
The significant rise in cyber attacks on research institutes and universities was thought to be part of the new priorities of certain governments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The US and UK warned that the attacks were carried out "to collect bulk personal information, intellectual property and intelligence that aligns with national priorities".
In March, the NCSC and CISA had warned about cyber criminals trying to exploit the coronavirus outbreak for their own personal gain.