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A cyber espionage campaign targeting companies vital to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines has been detected.
According to an alert issued by the US government and an investigative blog published by IBM, the hacking campaign began in September.
It addressed a variety of organizations, including in government and in the energy and IT sectors, that are associated with the COVID-19 ‘Cold supply’ chain.
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The cold chain is an essential part of the distribution of vaccines manufactured by Pfizer / BioNTech, approved in the UK on Tuesdayas the vaccine should be stored at -70 ° C (-94 ° F) to avoid spoilage before administration.
Although it’s unclear if the sophisticated phishing emails were successful, IBM warned that the campaign had “the potential hallmark of nation-state craftsmanship” rather than an attack by cybercriminals.
“Without a clear path to a cash withdrawal, cybercriminals are unlikely to dedicate the time and resources necessary to execute such a calculated operation with so many interconnected and globally distributed targets,” IBM added.
This week Interpol issued an alert warning that organized criminal gangs could try to steal COVID-19 vaccines or create their own fake versions to profit from the pandemic.
An announcement in July from Britain, the United States and Canada follows that Russian cyberspies were trying to steal the investigation in vaccines and coronavirus treatment.
IBM said emails were sent to 10 organizations, including the European Commission’s Directorate General for Taxes and Customs Union, which handles tax and customs matters across the EU.
Claire Zaboeva, an IBM analyst involved in the detection, told the Associated Press that the EU agency, which is reviewing import and export regimes for vaccines, “would be a gold mine” for hackers seeking access to other vaccines. organizations.
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IBM warned that if the hackers were successful, the attacks could lead to “theft and sale [of] vaccine shipping containers in black markets around the world. “
The hackers have sent emails posing as a business executive for Chinese company Haier Biomedical, which is “a legitimate and credible member of the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain,” according to IBM.
The intent of the campaign was to collect credentials, “possibly to gain unauthorized access in the future to corporate networks and sensitive information related to the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Among the target companies were those involved in the manufacture of solar panels, which can be used in countries without a reliable power supply to ensure that vaccine refrigerators are turned on, as well as petrochemical companies that produce dry ice.
