Russian Malware on Coronavirus centers: Claims by the UK, US, and Canada

Canadian, United States, and United Kingdom security personnel issued a communiqué on Thursday on the activities of Russian hackers focusing on organizations working on the invention of the Covid19 inoculation.  According to them, this Russian group of hackers is referred to as APT29 and they also go by these names: 'Cozy Bear' or 'The Dukes'.   A recommendation printed by the UK National Cyber Security Centre explained the activities of the Russian hacking group directing all attempt and focus on Canadian, US, and UK’s inoculation research and development organizations.  A press communiqué declared that the current APT29's campaign is a vindictive attempt principally directed at the government, the health care system, diplomats, think tanks, etc., seeking to steal prized patent.

There are two hacking groups; however, the Cozy Bear is the one of the two connected to Russian intelligence believed to have gained entry into the Democratic National Committee's internal systems before the 2016 US election.  However, this is the first time the group is being linked to cyberattacks related to the Covid19 pandemic.  According to TASS, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin official declared on Thursday that Russia is not in any way responsible for the cyber- attempts on organizations involved in the creation of inoculation for Covid19.  Dmitry Peskov went on to say that Russia does not have details on the group that could have perpetrated these hacking attempts on pharmaceutical companies and research centers in the UK. He went on in his defense of Russia saying that his country is innocent and would not accept such accusations along with any unverified accusations of interfering in the 2019 elections.

 The Russian Direct Investment Fund sponsors the development of a Russian coronavirus vaccine, the head of the organization, Kirill Dmitriev,   said the fingers being pointed at Russia connected to the cyberattacks against western pharmaceutical companies is geared towards stigmatizing the Russian Covid19 inoculation. An officer with unmediated mastery of these attacks mentioned that China and Russia were primary offenders.  The Department of Health and Human Services, in charge of managing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has also been experienced cyber-attacks.