IN THE SHADOWS

Mystery Hackers Keep Hitting Vaccine Distribution Operation, Says Report

Researchers say the attacks are so sophisticated that they’re likely government-sponsored, with the lead suspects being Russia and North Korea.

Companies and government organizations that are set to deliver coronavirus vaccines around the world are being hit by a series of mystery cyberattacks, The New York Times reports. The discovery is said to have been made by IBM’s cybersecurity division, and is deemed to be a serious enough threat that the Department of Homeland Security plans to send a warning on Thursday to Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s vaccine program. IBM researchers reportedly believe that the attacks are so sophisticated that they’re likely a government-sponsored initiative, with the lead suspects being Russia and North Korea. The motive is also unclear—theories range from an attempt to steal the technology, to disrupt the vaccine rollout, or even to install ransomware that could block access to the vaccine distribution network.