[ad_1]
Criminal gangs backed by hostile states are launching cyber attacks against British health, drug and medical research centers that fight the coronavirus, the government revealed.
Cybersecurity agencies in the UK and the United States issued a joint warning to expert personnel, urging them to improve password security while fighting Covid-19.
Russia, China and Iran were suspected of being behind the attacks, and attacking Britain during the pandemic was “particularly dangerous and venous,” said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.
Speaking at press conference No10, he blamed “sophisticated networks of hackers” for attacking UK facilities.
Mr. Raab said: “Our teams have identified campaigns targeting healthcare agencies, pharmaceutical companies, research organizations and also different arms of the local government.
“There are several goals and motivations behind these attacks, from fraud on the one hand to espionage.
“But they tend to be designed to steal bulk personal data, intellectual property, and broader information that supports those goals, and they are often linked to other state actors.
“We expect this type of predatory criminal behavior to continue and evolve in the coming weeks and months, and we are taking a number of steps to address the threat.”
Previously, the UK’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) and the US Infrastructure and Cyber Security Agency (CISA). USA They issued a notice urging staff to change any password to one created using three random words, and implement two-factor authentication on accounts to reduce the threat of compromise.
Agencies say they have seen a series of “password sprinkling” attacks, where hackers try to access large numbers of accounts using known passwords, targeting healthcare organizations and other medical groups.
The two bodies said they believe criminals were attacking those organizations in hopes of gathering information related to the coronavirus outbreak.
Paul Chichester, NCSC’s director of operations, said: “Protecting the healthcare sector is NCSC’s top priority at the moment, and we are working closely with the NHS to keep its systems safe.”
“By prioritizing any requests for support from health organizations and staying in close contact with the industries involved in the response to the coronavirus, we can inform them of any malicious activity and take the necessary steps to help them defend against it.
“But we cannot do this alone, and we recommend that health policy makers and researchers take practical steps to defend against password theft campaigns.”
From coronavirus to Brexit, this is an era of great change and uncertainty. Events in Parliament have rarely been so crucial or confusing.
Our daily policy bulletin is at 8.30 a.m. to guide you through these turbulent times.
Written by Mirror Chief Policy Officer Jason Beattie, it includes well-written commentary, a concise description of events in Westminster, and a hint of gossip. Then there’s a 4.30pm bulletin update with the headlines of the day.
Don’t miss a thing: subscribe to the Mirror Politics newsletter by visiting www.mirror.co.uk/email.
Last month, the NCSC launched its Suspicious Email Reporting Service, following an increase in the number of Covid-19 related scams, which allows the public to forward emails directly to the center to report potential scams.
In its first week, the NCSC said the service received more than 25,000 reports, resulting in the removal of 395 fraudulent websites.
Bryan Ware, assistant director of cybersecurity at CISA, said he was prioritizing his services to healthcare organizations and other medical groups involved in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, so those companies can focus on their response to the virus.
“CISA’s ongoing and reliable collaboration on cybersecurity with NCSC and industry partners plays a critical role in protecting the public and organizations, specifically during this time as healthcare organizations are working at their best. “, said.
[ad_2]
