The document is a joint announcement from the FBI and CISA dated May 13, 2020, concerning the targeting of U.S. organizations engaged in COVID-19-related research by cyber actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The FBI is actively investigating attempts by these individuals and groups to identify and illegally acquire valuable intellectual property and public health data, which includes information on vaccines, treatments, and testing. Such theft poses a significant risk to the secure and efficient development of COVID-19 therapies and could compromise the U.S. response to the pandemic.
To mitigate this threat, the FBI and CISA advise organizations involved in COVID-19 research to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses and insider threat detection practices. Specific recommendations include assuming heightened cyber risk for organizations in the public eye, promptly patching critical vulnerabilities, monitoring web applications for unauthorized activity, enforcing stringent credential management and multi-factor authentication, and quickly responding to anomalous user behavior. The document also urges prompt reporting of any suspicious activity to local FBI field offices and provides resources for additional cybersecurity support and best practices through CISA.
