robert hanigan is the former director of gchq, britain's version of the nsa. >> the most valuable intellectual property in the world right now is to do with covid vaccines, no question. >> reporter: the u.s. is expected to issue a warning about china, after previously accusing beijing of recruiting researchers and students to steal data. how critical is the situation at the moment? >> i think talking to people in the healthcare sector and in the academic world, they do feel under siege at the moment from --. >> reporter: under siege? >> under siege. >> reporter: they're hitting the is up supply clain, anything to do with covid-19 related research for vaccines, tests, and treatment. university labs, medical facilities, government agency, pharmaceutical company, every association a potential weak link. now add in working from home, thousands of people on laptops with vulnerable software. it sounds like a hacker's paradise. >> it's made the playground much bigger. >> reporter: in the race to find a cure, it's not just the good guys giving chase. charlie d'agata, cbs news, london. >> o'donnell: an