(Adds details from Telegraph report)

Feb 25 (Reuters) - An Oxford University biology laboratory researching COVID-19 has been hacked by a cyber gang amid fears they are trying to sell secrets to the highest bidder, The Telegraph reported on Thursday.

The hack occurred at the Division of Structural Biology, known as Strubi, which has been carrying out research into COVID-19, according https://bit.ly/2NYG4Ag to the newspaper.

Oxford University did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but confirmed to the newspaper that Strubi had been subject to a hack.

"We have identified and contained the problem and are now investigating further," the newspaper quoted an Oxford spokesman as saying.

The newspaper quoted security sources as saying it was unclear who was behind the attack and that they could not rule out a hostile foreign state at this stage. (Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie Adler and Catherine Evans)