Senators seek info from FBI, CISA on Chinese hackers of COVID-19 data

Several U.S. Senators have reached out to the leadership at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) about attempts by the Chinese to steal intellectual property related to COVID-19.

The FBI and CISA had sent out a joint notice, warning American companies and institutions about the potential for hacking.

“This joint notice is alarming and we appreciate you notifying the public of this ongoing threat,” the senators wrote. “While any government-sponsored hacking of American companies is a cause for concern, it is especially troublesome that the Chinese government would target companies developing vaccines and treatments for the novel coronavirus.”

The letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray and CISA Director Christopher Krebs was sent by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Ben Sasse (R-NE).

“Any action that affects the development of treatment options—including attempted theft of American intellectual property—is a threat to our health, economic recovery, and national security,” the senators continued. “Please know that as you continue to combat state-sponsored hacking and the theft of American intellectual property, we stand ready and willing to assist you.”

Among the questions, the senators want to know what additional tools or authorities the agencies need to combat the state-sponsored hacking of American companies more effectively, and what steps are the agencies taking to inform American companies or research institutions about the threats posed by Chinese hackers.