North Korea-linked hackers targeted J&J, Novavax in hunt for Covid research

A nurse prepares a shot as a study of a possible Covid-19 vaccine, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc, gets underway in Binghamton, N.Y. Microsoft says state-backed Russian and North Korean hackers have in recent months tried to steal valuable data from leading pharmaceutical companies and Covid-19 vaccine researchers. — AP

WASHINGTON/LONDON: Suspected North Korean hackers have recently tried to break into at least nine health organisations, including pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson and vaccine developer Novavax Inc, revealing a broader effort to target key players in the race to develop treatments for Covid-19.

Four people who have investigated the attacks said the spate of hacking attempts began in September, and used web domains mimicking online login portals to try and trick staff at the targeted organisations into revealing their passwords.