‘Botnet’ That Stole Nearly $6 Billion In US Covid Relief Funds Is Shut Down
The Department of Justice has charged a Chinese national with operating the "world's largest botnet" that stole $5.9 billion in covid relief funds and is responsible for other crimes. With the FBI, the agency has also shut down the malware network.
CNBC:
DOJ Charges Chinese National With Operating ‘World’s Largest Botnet’ That Stole $5.9 Billion In Covid Relief Funds
A global malware network responsible for the theft of $5.9 billion in Covid relief funds and tied to other crimes like child exploitation and bomb threats has been shut down, Department of Justice officials announced Wednesday. The DOJ arrested 35-year-old YunHe Wang, a Chinese national who was charged with creating the “botnet,” a kind of malware that connects a network of hacked devices, which criminals can then use remotely to launch cyberattacks. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray said it is “likely the world’s largest botnet ever.” (Picciotto, 5/29)
In other pandemic news —
Reuters:
U.S. Health Secretary Sees Pandemic Treaty Deal As Close
The top U.S. health official said on Wednesday it would be "tragic" for the world to miss out on key reforms to the global pandemic response and that a treaty deal was within reach, with no major differences between negotiators. Health officials are meeting in Geneva this week to try to wrap up more than two years of negotiations on a pandemic treaty and a series of updates to existing International Health Rules (IHR). However, countries have failed to finalize the treaty at this assembly and countries are considering an extension. (5/29)
NPR:
How The COVID Pandemic Gave Power To Superbugs
Antibiotics cannot cure COVID. They don’t help a bit. And yet, new data shows that, during the pandemic, COVID patients were given antibiotics – a lot of antibiotics. That’s bad because the overuse of antibiotics can breed superbugs that are resistant to medications. The impact of this pandemic overuse has lingered even as the pandemic has faded. (Emanuel, 5/29)
CIDRAP:
Having 2 Or More Underlying Conditions Increase The Risk Of Severe COVID-19 Almost 10-Fold In Kids, Data Show
Though severe COVID-19 infections in children are uncommon, children and young adults with comorbidities are at increased risk for critical illness during COVID-19 infections, according to a new study in Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. (Soucheray, 5/29)
In bird flu updates —
CIDRAP:
USDA Reports More Mammal Detections
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported 15 more H5N1 detections in mammals, which span six states. Eight of the detections in four states—New Mexico, Michigan, Montana, and South Dakota—involve domestic cats. Other animals include red fox and a raccoon. A reassortant between the Eurasian and North American wild bird lineage was found in all of the cat samples and in one of the red fox samples. (Schnirring, 5/29)
Reuters:
US Nears Deal To Fund Moderna's Bird Flu Vaccine Trial, FT Reports
The U.S. government is nearing an agreement to fund a late-stage trial of Moderna's mRNA pandemic bird flu vaccine, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, as an H5N1 outbreak spreads through egg farms and among cattle herds. The federal funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) could come as soon as next month, and would also include a promise to procure doses if the phase-three trials turn out to be successful, the report said. (5/30)
The Wall Street Journal:
Moderna Makes Big Play For Big Tech Talent
CIO Brad Miller has been replacing IT outsourced during the pandemic with a full-time in-house staff as the biotech looks to roll out 15 new products over the next five years. (Bousquette, 5/28)
