The Justice Department of the United States has accused a pair of Chinese hackers of targeting COVID-19 vaccines research and even stealing millions of dollars.
The pair were accused of hacking hundreds of companies, government organizations, dissidents, human rights activists, and private companies. It is also including those engaged in COVID-19 vaccine research.
According to ABC News, the two hackers were charged with trade secret theft and wire fraud conspiracy. It is believed that they stole information not just for their profit but also for the benefit of the Chinese government.
“The hackers stole terabytes of data which comprised a sophisticated and prolific threat to U.S. networks,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers in a statement.
The department also said that the plot has begun in 2009 with targets such as pharmaceutical, solar, and medical device companies but also political dissidents, activists, and clergy in the United States, China, and Hong Kong.
For now, there is no direct indication of the allegation that the hackers have successfully obtained COVID-19 research, despite attempts to spy on the companies.
“China has now taken its place, alongside Russia, Iran and North Korea, in that shameful club of nations that provide a safe haven for cybercriminals in exchange for those criminals being ‘on-call’ to work for the benefit of the state, here to feed the Chinese Communist Party’s insatiable hunger for American and other non-Chinese companies’ hard-earned intellectual property,” added Demers.
Source: ABC News, Daily Mail, The Spectator Index