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US Unveils Criminal Charges Against 2 Chinese Hackers Accused of Targeting COVID-19 Vaccine Research

© AP Photo / Ted S. WarrenPharmacist Michael Witte wears heavy gloves as he opens a frozen package of the potential vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, on the first day of a first-stage safety study clinical trial, Monday, March 16, 2020
Pharmacist Michael Witte wears heavy gloves as he opens a frozen package of the potential vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, on the first day of a first-stage safety study clinical trial, Monday, March 16, 2020 - Sputnik International
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – A newly unveiled United States indictment against two Chinese hackers alleges that they targeted companies in at least ten countries, Assistant US Attorney General for National Security John Demers announced in a press conference.

The US has unveiled criminal charges against two Chinese hackers accused of targeting COVID-19 vaccine research, the Justice Department said in a statement. 

"China’s anti-competitive behaviour and flagrant disregard for their promises not to engage in cyber-enabled intellectual property theft is not just a domestic issue, it is a global issue", Demers said. "The indictment alleges activity against companies in at least ten countries around the world".

The statement comes after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said that newly proposed US legislation would sanction anyone attempting to steal data from developers of a vaccine against COVID-19.

"We have seen that other nations – like China – use this virus to exploit other countries for political advantages. We refuse to allow our innovation to be exploited by China, Russia, or any other hackers", McCarthy said earlier today. "The stakes are too high for these significant cyber crimes to go unpunished. My legislation will hold these criminals accountable".

McCarthy’s bill would "authorise the imposition of sanctions", on hackers who attempt to steal research on a COVID-19 vaccine.

To date, more than 14.6 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 609,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.

A small bottle labeled with a Vaccine sticker is held near a medical syringe in front of displayed Coronavirus COVID-19 words in this illustration taken April 10, 2020. - Sputnik International
COVID-19 Vaccine Could be Ready Before Christmas, UK Researchers Say
Officials in the US and other Western nations have accused Chinese, Iranian and Russian hackers of targeting American, Canadian and UK vaccine developers.

Russia denies the charges and has reported extensive progress in efforts by the nation’s own scientists to develop a vaccine.

WHO's COVID-19 register currently involves 24 candidate vaccines that have already launched trials on humans and another 142 that are yet at the stage of preclinical evaluation.

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