Russia’s COVID-19 “Sputinik V” vaccine contractor Dr. Reddy’s has been hit with a cyberattack causing it to temporarily close its plants and isolate its data centers. Dr. Reddy’s is a major genetics producer headquartered in India with plants across the world, including Brazil, Russia, the UK, and the US. The vaccine developer was gearing up to enter Phase 2 human trials as it received permission for the advancement on October 19. The company’s operations in the US include generics production such as medicines for cardiovascular issues, pain management, anti-infectives, dermatology, and pediatrics.
The drugmaker has been forced to isolate all data center services to remediate the attack, according to media sources. CIO of Dr. Reddy’s Mukesh Rathi released a statement claiming that they would take services back online within the next few days, confirming that they do not predict any major lasting impact on its operations. Phone lines at two of the drugmakers UK offices appeared to be down on the day of the attack, however, it is unclear what the true extent of the attack is. Cybersecurity professionals are questioning whether the cyberattack was COVID-19 espionage and targeted the entity due to their vaccine work.
Read More: COVID-19 Vaccine-Maker Hit with Cyberattack, Data Breach
