Hackers are attacking the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain

Hackers have targeted companies that distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to a degree previously unreported, according to research from IBM Security.

Starting last year, attackers attempted to access sensitive information about the vaccine's "cold chain" distribution system. IBM Security said the phishing attack targeted 44 companies in 14 countries across Europe, North America, South America and Asia. It is unclear if the hackers were successful in breaching systems. The hacking victims include high-ranking executives at a petrochemical firm, a solar energy manufacturer, several IT companies and a department at the European Commission.  The cyberattack was first discovered in late 2020. Researchers initially believed the hacking campaign targeted the GAVI alliance, a coalition of governments and companies that help developing countries distribute vaccines. At the time, it was unclear if the campaign was successful, according to IBM's global lead for threat intelligence, Nick Rossmann.