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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Regulation documents related to <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword> and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine were "unlawfully accessed" after a cyberattack on Europe's medicines regulator.</li><li>They added that "no BioNTech or Pfizer systems have been breached in connection with this incident and we are unaware of any personal data of study participants being accessed."</li><li>Hacking attempts against healthcare and medical organisations have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech said on Wednesday that regulation documents related to their development of a COVID-19 vaccine had been "unlawfully accessed" in a cyberattack on Europe's medicines regulator. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), responsible for assessing and approving medicines and vaccines for the European Union, said hours earlier it had been targeted in a cyberattack. It gave no further details. Pfizer and BioNTech said they were waiting for further information from the EMA, but the agency "has assured us that the cyber attack will have no impact on the timeline for its review." It was not immediately clear when or how the attack took place, who was responsible or what other information may have been compromised. A spokeswoman for BioNTech declined further comment. Pfizer did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. The two companies said in a joint statement that they had been informed by the 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 ... had been unlawfully accessed." They added that "no BioNTech or Pfizer systems have been breached in connection with this incident and we are unaware of any personal data of study participants being accessed." The EMA gave few details about the attack in its earlier statement, saying only that it was investigating the incident with help from law enforcement. "EMA cannot provide additional details whilst the investigation is ongoing. Further information will be made available in due course," it said in a statement. Hacking attempts against healthcare and medical organisations have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic as attackers ranging from state-backed spies to cyber criminals scramble to obtain the latest information about the outbreak. Reuters has previously documented how hackers linked to North Korea, Iran, Vietnam, China and Russia have on separate occasions been accused of trying to steal information about the virus and its potential treatments. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/infosys-hcl-tech-and-tcs-stocks-may-see-another-surge-estimates-edelweiss-heres-why/articleshow/79659516.cms">One research firm says shares of Infosys, HCL Tech, and TCS may see another surge — here's why</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/india-desi-gps-finally-joins-china-russia-and-the-us-after-a-two-year-long-wait/articleshow/79656300.cms">India’s desi-GPS is now in the same league as the US, Russia and China — can scan 1,500 kilometres beyond its own borders</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/canada-has-enough-covid-19-vaccine-doses-to-cover-each-citizen-five-times-over-while-the-fate-of-67-poor-countries-remains-undecided/articleshow/79645493.cms">Canada has enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to cover each citizen five times over while the fate of 67 poor countries remains undecided</a>

Pfizer and BioNTech says their vaccine data was 'unlawfully accessed' in a cyberattack on an EU regulator

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Law enforcement agencies should be prepared for organized <keyword id="39494" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Crime">crime</keyword> networks to try to steal <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> <keyword id="79555" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Vaccines">vaccines</keyword>, Interpol said in a statement Wednesday. </li><li>The organization warned that criminal groups will likely attempt to infiltrate supply chains and sell fraudulent vaccines. </li><li>The pandemic has "already triggered unprecedented opportunistic and predatory criminal behaviour," according to Interpol. </li></ul>Multiple COVID-19 vaccines from firms including <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword> and <keyword id="4912868" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="moderna">Moderna</keyword> have proven highly effective and are set to be distributed in massive quantities over the coming months once approved by regulators. But, as if obtaining, storing, and distributing millions of doses wasn't challenging enough, countries around the world will likely need to overcome yet another hurdle: organized crime.Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, issued a <a href="https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2020/INTERPOL-warns-of-organized-crime-threat-to-COVID-19-vaccines">statement</a> Wednesday to law enforcement agencies in its 194 member countries alerting them of the threat that organized crime networks pose to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.As countries roll out vaccines, organized crime networks will likely attempt to penetrate supply chains and steal doses, the group warned, adding that law enforcement should be on the lookout for people passing off fake vaccines online. "Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives," said Jürgen Stock, Interpol's secretary-general. "It is essential that law enforcement is as prepared as possible for what will be an onslaught of all types of criminal activity linked to the COVID-19 vaccine, which is why Interpol has issued this global warning,"According to the group, the pandemic has "already triggered unprecedented opportunistic and predatory criminal behavior." Interpol also said that, as global travel slowly returns, criminal entities will likely ramp up production and distribution of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/global-black-market-for-negative-covid-test-results-2020-11">fraudulent COVID-19 testing kits</a>.The alert comes as public health officials around the globe evaluate multiple COVID-19 vaccines that recently completed trials and appear to be safe and effective. On Wednesday, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-and-biontech-covid-19-vaccines-approved-by-uk-regulator-2020-11">UK authorized Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine</a> for emergency use, and other countries are expected to follow suit. Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-pharmacies-hospitals-could-profit-from-covid-19-vaccine-2020-11?r=tl-sub">Pharmacies, doctor's offices and hospitals are gearing up to give coronavirus vaccines to millions of Americans. Here's how they're preparing and how much they stand to profit along the way.</a>Over the last several months, there have been instances of groups and indviduals attempting to illegally profit off of the pandemic by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/3m-n95-mask-maker-accuses-amazon-seller-of-20x-markup-2020-6">selling personal protective equipment at inflated prices</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-man-buys-lamborghini-charged-coronavirus-covid-ppp-funds-huracan-2020-7">taking advantage of the federal government's Paycheck Protection Program</a>, and other schemes. As <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> of multiple promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates broke in November, Interpol released an initial <a href="https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2020/COVID-19-crime-INTERPOL-issues-new-guidelines-for-law-enforcement">statement</a> warning law enforcement agencies of the likelihood that organized crime would target storage facilities and supply chains, likening the forthcoming vaccines to "liquid gold to organized crime networks."But, according to the agency, one of the main threats posed by organized crime during the pandemic has been to people's data and devices.In Wednesday's memo, Interpol noted an increasing volume of COVID-19-related scams, and recommended that people be extra careful when shopping for medicines or medical equipment online. Of 3,000 online pharmacies the group suspected of selling illicit devices and products, more than half also contained cyber threats.

Interpol warns that organized crime groups will likely try to steal 'liquid gold' COVID vaccines as well as peddle fake doses

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13473" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="North-Korea">North Korea</keyword> wants "to decide which [vaccine] will be the easiest to bootleg and transport for the black market," said an official.</li><li>The nation has a long history of counterfeiting, bootlegging, drug dealing, and arms smuggling.</li><li>The dictatorship wants foreign currency. Its domestic currency is mostly worthless.</li></ul><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/north-korea-pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine-hack/2021/02/16/c09ec7fc-702e-11eb-8651-6d3091eac63f_story.html">North Korean hackers attempted to breach the servers of the US-based vaccine manufacturer Pfizer</a>, and its German partner BioNTech, in hopes of gathering scientific data that could be used to manufacture bootleg copies of a COVID-19 vaccine to sell on international black markets, according to intelligence officials in Europe.North Korea's intent was likely to raise funds in foreign currency. The hermit dictatorship's domestic currency is mostly worthless outside its borders.Two European security officials briefed on cyber-operations told Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-vaccine-programs-hackers-spies-stealing-info-2021-2">the attempted intrusion</a> was likely an official North Korean operation to gather scientific data on <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword>'s COVID-19 vaccine, one of just <a href="https://extranet.who.int/pqweb/sites/default/files/documents/Status_COVID_VAX_16Feb2021.pdf">three vaccines so far approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization</a>. Both officials said the attempt was connected to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-russia-north-korea-vaccines-efc925638332b4a42d06d36066802d33">November's announcement of multiple hacking intrusions via Microsoft network infrastructure</a>."It clearly was an information-gathering attempt rather than a malware- or ransom-style attack. I will not get into technical details but we have developed plenty of experience with each type of attack," said a European official, who would not be named because of extreme sensitivity of the situation."North Korea will have physical access to Pfizer vaccines long after they've seen Chinese or Russian versions. But they want to decide which will be the easiest to bootleg and transport for the black market," said the official, pointing out that both Russia and China have promised millions of doses to North Korea for free, despite the country's claim it has never had a case of COVID. "So they wanted to take a look to see if the Pfizer vaccine would be a viable dose to copy," added the official. "We are not giving out any information on whether the hacking attempt succeeded but if it had I'd suspect the Pfizer vaccine would provide too many manufacturing and storage problems compared to the Russian or Chinese vaccines." <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-vaccines-compared-vaccine-pfizer-oxford-moderna-astrazeneca-side-effects-2021-2">The Pfizer vaccine requires two types of refrigeration; the AstraZeneca version needs only a normal fridge.</a>Asked if North Korea would be trying to sell a bootleg of some sort, the source said without a doubt, considering North Korea's long history of counterfeiting, bootlegging, drug dealing and arms smuggling through their embassies around the world.Hacking alone provides massive amounts of income to the regime, according to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56103921">indictments last week by US authorities against a ring of North Korean state-linked hackers</a> accused of stealing $1.3 billion from various targets.For decades, North Korea has been accused of using its embassies as lucrative outposts for organized crime ranging from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/counterfeit-supernote-found-in-south-korea-2017-12">counterfeiting US currency</a>, dealing <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/12/world/asia/north-korea-crystal-meth-methamphetamine-drugs-.html">methamphetamine around the world</a> via secure diplomatic pouches, to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/instant-article/idUSN1268919">selling arms to rogue regimes</a> in violation of embargos.In 2007, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-syria-nuclear-idUSKBN1GX09K">Israeli warplanes bombed a secret nuclear reactor being built in Syria</a> with the help of North Korean engineers, who have long covertly assisted Middle Eastern regimes in exchange for hard currency."The North Koreans have been essential to Israeli's enemies since the 1970s, helping first the PLO build massive fortifications and bunkers throughout the camps in Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley," said a former Israeli official. "And today we have strong evidence - it's without a doubt really - that for decades they have been working with Hezbollah and Iran to reinforce their positions, not only in Lebanon but Iran as well."When asked why North Korea was their resource of choice, the source was blunt."They're great engineers with a national history of mining," they said. "Arabs don't really have hundreds of years of coal mining to fall on for expertise like they do. And they can work anywhere and there will be no questions if there's an accident or the site gets bombed by the [Israeli Air Force]."

North Korea hacked Pfizer because it wants to sell bootleg COVID vaccines on the international black market, sources say

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Pfizer and BioNTech says their vaccine data was 'unlawfully accessed' in a cyberattack on an EU regulator

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Interpol warns that organized crime groups will likely try to steal 'liquid gold' COVID vaccines as well as peddle fake doses

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North Korea hacked Pfizer because it wants to sell bootleg COVID vaccines on the international black market, sources say

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