To say I find this timely hack, suspicious, would be a huge understatement. The claim is 'state actors' may have undertaken this. With Russia, China and North Korea being implicated. Frankly, I find that claim so absurd. Russia, China and North Korea being the oh so convenient scapegoats...
Let's consider that this hack was possibly undertaken by Pfizer itself? It's more plausible to me then blaming Russia, China or North Korea. What do you think?
Hackers Steal Covid-19 Vaccine Documents From EU Agency
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has been hacked, and valuable documentationconcerning the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine have been stolen.
Valuable documentation had been stolen? Valuable, in what way?
The Pfizer vaccine was approved by the UK medical regulator last week and is currently being deployed around the country to help combat the Coronavirus pandemic.
But hackers have been seeking data on the three leading Covid-19 vaccines for some time now, and intelligence services have been warning the attacks likely stem from nation state hackers.
EMA cyberattack
The latest attempt against the European Medicines Agency (EMA) appears to have been successful.
For those that don’t know, the European Medicines Agency is an agency of the European Union in charge of the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products.
It is currently working on approving of two Covid-19 vaccines, which it expects to conclude within weeks.
But BioNTech, which makes one of the vaccines in partnership with Pfizer, said its regulatory submission was accessed during the attack on the EMA.
BioNTech revealed the breach in a statement published on its website, in which it confirmed that it had been told its documents had been accessed.
“Today, we were informed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that the agency has been subject to a cyber attack and that some documents relating to the regulatory submission for Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate, BNT162b2, which has been stored on an EMA server, had been unlawfully accessed,” said the firm.
“It is important to note that no BioNTech or Pfizer systems have been breached in connection with this incident and we are unaware that any study participants have been identified through the data being accessed,” it added, placing the blame firmly on the shoulders of the EU’s EMA.
“At this time, we await further information about EMA’s investigation and will respond appropriately and in accordance with EU law,” it said. “EMA has assured us that the cyber attack will have no impact on the timeline for its review.”
“Given the critical public health considerations and the importance of transparency, we continue to provide clarity around all aspects of the vaccine development and regulatory processes,” BioNTech added. “Our focus remains steadfast on working in close partnership with governments and regulators to bring our Covid-19 vaccine to people around the globe as safely and as efficiently as possible to help bring an end to this devastating pandemic.”
The EMA itself published a remarkably brief statement about the cyberattack on its own website.
"a remarkably brief statement" So, that would be unusual when such an incident has occurred?
“EMA has been the subject of a cyberattack,” it said. “The Agency has swiftly launched a full investigation, in close cooperation with law enforcement and other relevant entities.”
“EMA cannot provide additional details whilst the investigation is ongoing,” it added. “Further information will be made available in due course.”
Curious.