Cybercriminals leak data from Pfizer vaccine, informs agency

Cybercriminals confidential information about Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine leaked online, after attack directed at the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The Agency reports that it has been investigating the case since December last year.

According to the EMA, in its most recent statement about the incident, the investigation revealed that some of the documents that were stolen about the BNT162 vaccine, developed by Pfizer in partnership with the German laboratory, BioNTech, were published on the internet.

“The ongoing investigation into the EMA cyber attack revealed that some of the documents accessed illegally related to COVID-19 drugs and vaccines belonging to third parties were posted on the Internet. The necessary actions are being taken by law enforcement authorities, ”writes the agency in a statement published on Tuesday (12).

Understand the case

On December 9, 2020, EMA said it was aware that it was the victim of a cyber attack, but did not disclose further information: “The EMA was the target of a cyber attack… [mas] cannot provide additional details while the investigation is ongoing, ”he said.

Two days later, confirms that there was a third party data breach and informs that the companies involved are being warned, but does not reveal which ones they are.

On the same December 9, the Pfizer published a statement stating that it was notified by the EMA and confirms that some documents about the vaccine he was developing were accessed illegally.

“Today, we have been informed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that the agency has been subject to a cyber attack and that some documents related to regulatory vaccine submission COVID-19 candidate from Pfizer and BioNTech, BNT162b2, which was stored on an EMA server, were illegally accessed, ”Writes Pfizer in the statement.

Now, the agency, along with the companies involved, are investigating the leaked documents. “THE Agency continues to support criminal investigation into data breaches and documents that may have been accessed without authorization. The Agency remains fully functional and the deadlines related to the evaluation and approval of medicines and vaccines against COVID-19 have not been affected ”, he concludes.

Source: European Medicines Agency (1) (two) (3) (4) (5).