The European medicine agency EMA is the target of a cyber attack, the organization reports on the website on Wednesday. The agency says it has started an investigation.
The European medicine agency EMA is the target of a cyber attack, the organization reports on the website on Wednesday. The agency says it has started an investigation.
“EMA cannot provide further details during the investigation. More information will be announced in due course.”
Germany’s BioNTech says documents about the vaccine that the company is developing in collaboration with Pfizer have been viewed by the hackers.
The drug agency is assessing whether a vaccine for the coronavirus is approved for the European market. Vaccine makers Moderna and Pfizer are currently waiting for an agreement from EMA to make their vaccines available.
Without further information it is difficult to assess how imminent the cyber attack is. It can be a failed attempt without further consequences, but also a situation where hackers have entered the systems and stolen, made inaccessible or destroyed data.
The fact that EMA deems it necessary to report publicly may indicate a serious attack that has or has had consequences.
The Amsterdam-based EMA has made a declaration, reports ANP news agency. A spokesperson for EMA was not immediately available for NU.nl.
The approval of the vaccine by EMA is necessary before the European vaccination program can also start. If the process goes as expected, vaccination in the Netherlands will start in the first week of 2021, Minister Hugo de Jonge (Public Health) announced at the beginning of December.
