University of Oxford scientists are working to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus.
Photograph: Sean Elias/PA
Hostile states are attempting to hack British universities and scientific facilities to steal research related to Covid-19, including vaccine development, cybersecurity experts have warned.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said the proportion of such targeted cyber-attacks had increased, branding the criminal activity “reprehensible”.
It is understood that nations including Iran and Russia are behind the hacking attempts, while experts have said China is also a likely perpetrator.
There are thought to be dozens of universities and institutions with biomedical capacity working on Covid-19 research, ranging from new diagnostic and antibody tests to experimental treatment.
However, it is understood there have been no successful attacks on universities or research institutions to date.
A spokesperson for the NCSC said: “Any attack against efforts to combat the coronavirus crisis is utterly reprehensible. We have seen an increased proportion of cyber-attacks related to coronavirus and our experts work around the clock to help organisations targeted.
“However, the overall level of cyber-attacks from both criminals and states against the UK has remained stable during the pandemic.”
The University of Oxford, which is making world-leading efforts on vaccine development and recently started human trials, said it was working with the NCSC to protect its research.
AstraZeneca, the Cambridge-based pharmaceutical group, is teaming up with the university to manufacture and distribute the vaccine if ..
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