Hackers have breached the biomedical systems of an Oxford University laboratory doing vital research into Covid.
Oxford confirmed its Division of Structural Biology, known as Strubi, had been hit by a cyber attack but stressed that its clinical studies had not been compromised.
GCHQ s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has been alerted and will assist with an investigation.
Strubi is not behind the successful Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine - created by the university s Jenner Institute - but is a world-leading laboratory carrying out research on Covid cells.
Experts mooted the possibility hackers were trying to harvest valuable data about the vaccine.
Oxford confirmed its Division of Structural Biology, known as Strubi, had been hit by a cyber attack but stressed that its clinical studies had not been compromised (pictured)
Cyber gang hacks into Oxford University s Covid-19 lab
A biology laboratory at Oxford University, known as the Division of Structural Biology, or Strubi, which is conducting research on Covid-19 cells, has been hacked.
According to a Telegraph report this evening, it was unclear who was behind the attack, but a hostile foreign state was not ruled out.
Oxford University confirmed that Strubi had been attacked. “We have identified and contained the problem and are now investigating further,” a spokesperson for the university said.
GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has been alerted and will assist with an investigation, according to the Mail Online this evening.
Oxford University Covid-19 laboratory hacked by cyber gang
Security sources said it was unclear who was behind the attack and could not rule out a hostile foreign state at this stage
25 February 2021 • 7:57pm
An Oxford University biology laboratory researching Covid-19 has been hacked by a cyber gang amid fears they are trying to sell secrets to the highest bidder.
The cyber attack is now being investigated by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the cyber security arm of GCHQ. The intelligence agency confirmed it was “aware of an incident at Oxford University” and was attempting to “fully understand its impact”.