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North Korean flag: So far, no Covid-19 infections confirmed in their own country
Photo: Stefan Schaubitzer / picture alliance / dpa
According to the South Korean secret service, North Korean hackers have tried illegally to obtain information about the coronavirus vaccine from the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
In the attack on Pfizer's computer systems, the attackers were also aiming for data on the treatment of a corona infection, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Tuesday.
Yonhap appealed to MPs who had been briefed by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Pfizer developed a corona vaccine together with the German company Biontech.
Most recently, in December, the Russian security software manufacturer Kaspersky reported that North Korean hackers wanted, among other things, to gain access to the computer system of a pharmaceutical company that is related to corona research.
However, no company name was mentioned.
An unnamed health ministry was also affected.
The North Korean hacker group Lazarus has been linked to previous attacks on ATMs and banks.
She is also suspected to be behind the devastating cyber attack on Sony Pictures that paralyzed the Hollywood studio for weeks in 2014.
According to an internal UN report, North Korea finances its nuclear weapons program, among other things, with hacking activities carried out directly by the North Korean secret service.
These had recently targeted "virtual asset channels and asset managers" as well as defense companies.
The isolated country is subject to severe international sanctions because of its nuclear program.
So far, North Korea has not confirmed any Covid-19 infections in its own country.
The country still expects the delivery of almost two million doses of the vaccine from AstraZeneca from the Covax aid program.
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mak / dpa