Amid worsening ties between US and China, the University of Texas, whose work has contributed to some promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates has been contacted by FBI over allegations that Chinese consulate in Houston had sought to obtain such research, reported South China Morning Post.

The US recently ordered China to close its Consulate General in Houston over allegations of espionage. China retaliated by ordering the US to close its Consulate General in Chengdu.

The University of Texas, as per the report, told faculty and research staff in an email on Monday that it was notified of the investigation by the FBI last week.

FBI agents would contact university researchers about the alleged role of the consulate and "efforts by the Chinese government to illegally procure research from American universities, including coronavirus vaccine research", according to the email, cited by South China Morning Post.

"We want to make you aware of an ongoing and evolving national situation that may affect some members of our research community," read the email.

The US State Department had ordered China last week to close its consulate in Houston, Texas, over accusations that it engaged for years in massive illegal spying and influence operations in the US.

The two countries have sparred over a range of issues in recent times -- China''s move to impose national security law in Hong Kong, its human rights violation in Xinjiang and territorial aggression in the South China Sea -- have all drawn fierce criticism from Washington.

Recently, Texas Congressman Michael McCaul has alleged that China''s Consulate General, which the US has ordered to close, is the epicentre of Beijing''s espionage in terms of stealing the bio-medical research.

"I can tell you it’s really the epicentre of China''s espionage in terms of stealing our bio-medical research. We had three scientists at M.D Anderson that were fired due to allegations of espionage," McCaul had told Fox News.

The Congressman said the Chinese are actively trying to steal the vaccine for COVID-19.

"We also have vaccine research going on at the Texas Medical Centre. We know that they are actively trying to steal that vaccine so that they can claim to the world they have saved them from the very virus they are responsible for," said McCaul.

Amid worsening ties between US and China, the University of Texas, whose work has contributed to some promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates has been contacted by FBI over allegations that Chinese consulate in Houston had sought to obtain such research, reported South China Morning Post.

Amid worsening ties between US and China, the University of Texas, whose work has contributed to some promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates has been contacted by FBI over allegations that Chinese consulate in Houston had sought to obtain such research, reported South China Morning Post. The US recently ordered China to close its Consulate General in Houston over allegations of espionage. China retaliated by ordering the US to close its Consulate General in Chengdu. The University of Texas, as per the report, told faculty and research staff in an email on Monday that it was notified of the investigation by the FBI last week. FBI agents would contact university researchers about the alleged role of the consulate and "efforts by the Chinese government to illegally procure research from American universities, including coronavirus vaccine research", according to the email, cited by South China Morning Post. "We want to make you aware of an ongoing and evolving national situation that may affect some members of our research community," read the email. The US State Department had ordered China last week to close its consulate in Houston, Texas, over accusations that it engaged for years in massive illegal spying and influence operations in the US. The two countries have sparred over a range of issues in recent times -- China''s move to impose national security law in Hong Kong, its human rights violation in Xinjiang and territorial aggression in the South China Sea -- have all drawn fierce criticism from Washington. Recently, Texas Congressman Michael McCaul has alleged that China''s Consulate General, which the US has ordered to close, is the epicentre of Beijing''s espionage in terms of stealing the bio-medical research. "I can tell you it’s really the epicentre of China''s espionage in terms of stealing our bio-medical research. We had three scientists at M.D Anderson that were fired due to allegations of espionage," McCaul had told Fox News. The Congressman said the Chinese are actively trying to steal the vaccine for COVID-19. "We also have vaccine research going on at the Texas Medical Centre. We know that they are actively trying to steal that vaccine so that they can claim to the world they have saved them from the very virus they are responsible for," said McCaul.

China tried to steal vaccine research from US university: Investigators

An Indian-American has pleaded guilty to charges of launching a cyber attack on a US university&#39;s computer network, officials said today.

Paras Jha, 21, of New Jersey along with two others Josiah White, 20, from Pennsylvania and Dalton Norman, 21, from Louisiana also pleaded guilty to creating and operating two botnets, which targeted &#39;Internet of Things&#39; (IoT) devices, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

&quot;Paras Jha has admitted his responsibility for multiple hacks of the Rutgers University computer system,&quot; Acting US Attorney William Fitzpatrick said in a statement.

&quot;These computer attacks shut down the server used for all communications among faculty, staff and students, including assignment of coursework to students, and students? submission of their work to professors to be graded,&quot; he said.

&quot;The defendant&#39;s actions effectively paralysed the system for days at a time and maliciously disrupted the educational process for tens of thousands of Rutgers&#39; students.

Today, the defendant has admitted his role in this criminal offence and will face the legal consequences for it,? Fitzpatrick said.

In a guilty plea before US District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton federal court in New Jersey, Paras accepted of violating the Computer Fraud &amp; Abuse Act.

According to court documents, between November 2014 and September 2016, Paras executed a series of attacks on the networks of Rutgers University.

His attacks effectively shut down Rutgers University?s central authentication server, which maintained, among other things, the gateway portal through which staff, faculty, and students delivered assignments and assessments.

At times, he succeeded in taking the portal offline for multiple consecutive periods, causing damage to Rutgers University, its faculty, and its students.

The count to which Jha pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of USD250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain or loss derived from the offence, whichever is greater. 
Sentencing is scheduled for March 13, 2018.

Earlier on December 8, Jha, White and Norman pleaded guilty to the criminal information in the District of Alaska charging them each with conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud &amp; Abuse Act in operating the Mirai Botnet.&nbsp;

According to court documents, between November 2014 and September 2016, Paras executed a series of attacks on the networks of Rutgers University.

An Indian-American has pleaded guilty to charges of launching a cyber attack on a US university's computer network, officials said today. Paras Jha, 21, of New Jersey along with two others Josiah White, 20, from Pennsylvania and Dalton Norman, 21, from Louisiana also pleaded guilty to creating and operating two botnets, which targeted 'Internet of Things' (IoT) devices, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday. "Paras Jha has admitted his responsibility for multiple hacks of the Rutgers University computer system," Acting US Attorney William Fitzpatrick said in a statement. "These computer attacks shut down the server used for all communications among faculty, staff and students, including assignment of coursework to students, and students? submission of their work to professors to be graded," he said. "The defendant's actions effectively paralysed the system for days at a time and maliciously disrupted the educational process for tens of thousands of Rutgers' students. Today, the defendant has admitted his role in this criminal offence and will face the legal consequences for it,? Fitzpatrick said. In a guilty plea before US District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton federal court in New Jersey, Paras accepted of violating the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act. According to court documents, between November 2014 and September 2016, Paras executed a series of attacks on the networks of Rutgers University. His attacks effectively shut down Rutgers University?s central authentication server, which maintained, among other things, the gateway portal through which staff, faculty, and students delivered assignments and assessments. At times, he succeeded in taking the portal offline for multiple consecutive periods, causing damage to Rutgers University, its faculty, and its students. The count to which Jha pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of USD250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain or loss derived from the offence, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for March 13, 2018. Earlier on December 8, Jha, White and Norman pleaded guilty to the criminal information in the District of Alaska charging them each with conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act in operating the Mirai Botnet.

Indian pleads guilty to launching cyber-attack on varsity computers

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China tried to steal vaccine research from US university: Investigators

Indian pleads guilty to launching cyber-attack on varsity computers