(DW.COM) – The UK, U.S. and Canada accused hackers backed by the Russian state of trying to steal information from researchers working on COVID-19 vaccines. Russia rejected the accusations as "groundless."
Cybersecurity agencies in the UK, U.S. and Canada said in a report released Thursday that a network of Russia-backed hackers is trying to steal information on coronavirus vaccine research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions.
The report, published by the UK's National Cybersecurity Center (NCSC), attributed the cyberattacks to a group known as APT29, or Cozy Bear, which it said was "almost certainly" operating as part of Russian intelligence services.
According to the report, the hackers targeted governmental, diplomatic, think-tank and health care institutions in the UK, U.S. and Canada.