IBM security researchers have revealed that a global phishing campaign has been targeting organizations associated with the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines since September 2020. They say that the campaign is focusing on the ‘cold chain’, the vaccine supply chain that keeps doses cold during their storage and transportation.
The phishing campaign is targeting six regions: Germany, Italy, South Korea, Czech Republic, greater Europe, and Taiwan. Analysts Claire Zaboeva and Melissa Frydrych of IBM X-Force IRIS made the revelation in a blog post.
The reason the phishing campaign is targeting cold chain companies is that some COVID-19 vaccines need to stay at extremely low temperatures in order to remain potent.
The phishing operation involved sending emails to the organizations’ executives impersonating executives from CCEOP supplier Haier Biomedical.
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According to the blog post, the emails contained HTML attachments which asked for the opener’s credentials. The hacker behind the operations can store these credentials and use them to gain unauthorized afterwards.
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is recommended to be stored at a temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius. This presents a logistical challenge for the pharmaceutical company. Especially as it will need to transport millions of doses around the world at that temperature.
The attacks appear to focus on groups associated with Gavi. Gavi is an international organization that promotes vaccine access and distribution.
Organisations related to their Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Platform (CCEOP), which aims to distribute and improve the technology that can keep vaccines at very cold temperatures are specific targets.
They include the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union. It also includes “organizations within the energy, manufacturing, website creation and software and internet security solutions sectors”.
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