| Advertisement |
Dec. 23 (UPI) -- North Korean hackers may be behind a recently created spoof website that targeted the staff at South Korea's Yonsei University Health System, which is developing a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a South Korean press report. Donga Ilbo reported Wednesday that North Korea-based threat group Kimsuky is being linked to a fake online site designed to fool employees at Yonsei. The site was first identified at 10:55 a.m. Tuesday, according to the report.
Advertisement
Cybersecurity providers who spoke to the Donga said the site's user interface was identical to Yonsei's homepage, and included fake email addresses.
Analysts said hackers could be attempting to steal personal information by phishing or email spoofing victims. The cybercriminals may have been attempting to capture personal information, including IDs and passwords, to gain access to data within company walls, the report said.
Sources also said the hackers may be trying to steal information about a coronavirus vaccine under development. In May, Yonsei signed a joint research agreement with local firms Gyeongnam Biopharma and Repure Life Science.
North Korean hackers have been previously connected to breaches to other pharmaceutical companies around the world.
A computer security specialist said the phishing site was discovered at the early stages. Other biomedical companies should be on guard, the source said.
South Korea has said COVID-19 vaccines from the United States and Britain will be available by March, but the government is coming under criticism for not procuring the doses sooner, KBS reported Wednesday.
South Korean health ministry spokesman Son Young-rae said Wednesday he is worried about a building sense of urgency or anxiety around the vaccine. The "creation of a social atmosphere of competitiveness" for a new vaccine is of great concern, he said.
Son said Korea will have an "opportunity" to observe the vaccine for a month or two before distribution.
"It is a very fortunate situation," he said.
