# US accuses Chinese hackers in targeting of COVID-19 research

- Link: https://www.widthness.com/us-accuses-chinese-hackers-in-targeting-of-covid-19-research/
- Published: 2020-07-23T09:00:31-05:00
- Author: Curated by Theresa Wysocki

FILE – In this March 22, 2019 file photo, an American flag flies outside the Department of Justice in Washington. The Justice Department has accused two Chinese hackers of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars of trade secrets from companies across the world […] Andrew Harnik, AP. Article by Eric Tucker Associated Press. July 21, 2020. WASHINGTON – Hackers working with the Chinese government targeted firms developing vaccines for the coronavirus and stole hundreds of millions of dollars worth of intellectual property and trade secrets from companies across the world, the Justice Department said Tuesday as it announced criminal charges. The indictment does not accuse the two Chinese defendants of actually obtaining the coronavirus research, but it does underscore the extent to which scientific innovation has been a top target for foreign governments and criminal hackers looking to know what American companies are developing during the pandemic. In this case, the hackers researched vulnerabilities in the computer networks of biotech firms and diagnostic companies that were developing vaccines and testing kits and researching antiviral drugs. […] Hacking of vaccine information slows down research as the institution must scramble not only to fix the breach but also to ensure the data it has accumulated has not been altered, Demers said. “Once someone is in your system, they can not only take the data, they can manipulate the data,” Demers said. “We do worry to that extent that there could be a slowdown in the research efforts of that particular institution.” […] Click here to view original web page at www.kansascity.com