The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in charge of protecting the US critical infrastructure from cyberthreats, have accused China of targeting research organisations working on COVID-19. In their joint public-service announcement, the FBI and CISA reported about their investigations regarding attacks by China-affiliated cyberactors which attempted to steal 'valuable intellectual property (IP) and public health data related to vaccines, treatments, and testing from networks and personnel affiliated with COVID-19-related research'. In response, the spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zhao Lijian called the accusation slander, adding that any online action which sabotages efforts against the disease should be condemned, Reuters reported.