Coronavirus: hackers target China’s vaccine researchers

The country needs to overhaul its cybersecurity defences to fend off frequent attacks, national political adviser says

‘India has long engaged in hacking activities’, including in China and Pakistan, he says

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Hackers have targeted China’s vaccine research institutes during the coronavirus pandemic, a cybersecurity expert says. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 9:00pm, 6 Mar 2021Updated: 8:12am, 7 Mar 2021

China’s public health system and vaccine research institutes have battled repeated cyberattacks during the coronavirus pandemic, a national political adviser said, calling for an overhaul of the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure.

On the sidelines of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing on Friday, Xiao Xinguang, director of Harbin-based cybersecurity firm Antiy Labs, said the attacks had resulted in serious research losses, but did not give details.

“During the pandemic, our nation’s public health, vaccine and scientific research institutions have been subjected to frequent cyberattacks. This has resulted in a number of critical data and scientific research achievements being stolen,” nationalist tabloid the Global Times quoted Xiao as saying.

Xiao also rejected reports that Chinese hackers had targeted a network of Indian vaccine makers.

Citing Goldman Sachs-backed cybersecurity firm Cyfirma, Reuters reported on March 1 that Chinese hacking group APT10, also known as Stone Panda, had identified gaps and vulnerabilities in the IT infrastructure and supply chain software of Bharat Biotech and the Serum Institute of India, the world’s biggest vaccine maker.

The Chinese foreign ministry earlier rejected the report.

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