As we observe Cyber Security Awareness Month this October, it’s an opportune time for businesses in the pharmaceutical industry to reassess and reinforce their IT security practices. This year’s theme, “Secure Our World,” serves as a timely reminder that protecting our digital assets isn’t just a technical necessity, but a fundamental business imperative. For pharmaceutical companies, whether they handle highly sensitive or more general regulated data, the stakes are especially high.
While the core principles of cyber security remain constant, their application in the highly regulated pharmaceutical sector requires a tailored approach. Whether your company handles obviously sensitive data such as patient records or drug formulations, or more general data like quality control documentation or regulatory submission data, the rules are the same when it comes to data protection and maintaining compliance.
Let’s explore how the focus areas of this year’s cybersecurity awareness campaign intersect with the unique challenges faced by pharmaceutical businesses, and why even seasoned IT professionals should never overlook these fundamental practices.
The Power of Passwords: Beyond the Basics
In an industry where data integrity is fundamental to both health and safety regulations, the importance of strong access controls cannot be overstated. Using strong passwords and a password manager may be advice we’ve all heard before, but their criticality in pharmaceutical IT infrastructure deserves a deeper dive. .
The Pharmaceutical Perspective
Whether your company handles obviously sensitive data like patient records or drug formulations, or more general data such as QC documentation or research data, stringent access controls are necessary. The rules around protecting regulated data apply equally across the board, regardless of its perceived sensitivity.
Elevating Your Password Practices
Start by conducting a comprehensive review of your organisation’s password policies—with the help of an expert IT support provider if necessary. Are your policies aligned with the latest regulatory guidelines? Do they account for the varying levels of data sensitivity in your systems? Key steps include:
- Implementing Adaptive Authentication: Use systems that adjust requirements based on the sensitivity of the data being accessed.
- Segregating Access Levels: Ensure that password policies and access rights are granularly defined for different roles and data types.
- Regular Audits and Rotation: Implement regular password audits and enforced rotations for accounts with elevated privileges to mitigate credential compromise.
Additionally, consider implementing a Zero Trust architecture that treats every access request as potentially hostile, regardless of its origin.
Multi-Factor Authentication: The New Normal for Pharmaceutical Security
MFA is now an absolute necessity, especially in regulated industries like pharmaceuticals. However, balancing security with operational efficiency is key, particularly in time-sensitive environments.
The Pharmaceutical Perspective
Pharmaceutical operations, from manufacturing to research, involve processes that must be completed efficiently. Implementing MFA shouldn’t impede these workflows, but should instead enhance security in a way that aligns with your operational needs.
Strengthening MFA Implementation
- Contextual MFA: Implement risk-based authentication that considers factors such as user location, device, and the sensitivity of the data being accessed.
- Biometric Integration: Where appropriate, integrate biometric factors into your MFA strategy, particularly for physical access to sensitive areas or systems.
- Compliance-Aligned MFA: Ensure that your MFA solutions meet the regulatory requirements for your specific type of data, whether it’s patient records, manufacturing documentation, or training records.
You could also run tabletop exercises to identify potential weak points in your authentication processes.
Phishing in the Pharmaceutical Sea: Recognition and Reporting
Phishing attacks are a major threat across all industries, but pharmaceutical companies—handling both highly sensitive and general regulated data—are particularly vulnerable to more targeted attacks.
The Pharmaceutical Perspective
Phishing attempts in the pharmaceutical industry often go beyond generic email scams. Attackers may use highly targeted spear-phishing techniques to impersonate regulators or supply chain partners, attempting to gain access to regulated data such as clinical trial results, regulatory submission data, or even anonymised patient records.
Enhancing Phishing Defences
- Industry-Specific Training: Develop phishing awareness training that includes pharmaceutical-specific examples, such as fake regulatory communications or vendor invoices.
- Supply Chain Awareness: Educate your staff about business email compromise (BEC) attacks that may target procurement or finance departments.
- AI-Powered Detection: Use machine learning tools to detect sophisticated phishing attempts that may bypass traditional filters.
It’s also important to establish a clear, streamlined process for reporting suspected phishing attempts. Consider implementing a one-click reporting button in your email client. Regularly conduct phishing simulations that mimic the sophisticated attacks targeting the pharmaceutical sector, and use the results to refine your training and defence strategies.
Software Updates: The Unsung Hero of Pharmaceutical Cyber Security
In an industry where validation and change control are paramount, keeping software updated can be challenging. However, the risks of unpatched vulnerabilities in specialised pharmaceutical software are too high to ignore.
The Pharmaceutical Perspective
Pharmaceutical businesses often rely on a mix of standard IT systems and specialised software for everything from laboratory information management to regulatory submissions. Regardless of the system in use, keeping it updated is critical to protecting regulated data, whether that data is clinical in nature or tied to manufacturing processes.
Streamlining Your Update Processes
First, inventory all software systems in your environment, including those embedded in laboratory and manufacturing equipment. Establish a clear hierarchy of update priorities based on the criticality of the system and the severity of the vulnerabilities addressed.
- Risk-Based Update Strategy: Develop a risk-based approach to software updates, ensuring critical patches are fast-tracked.
- Automated Patch Management: Implement systems that handle the diverse software ecosystem, including IT infrastructure and operational technology (OT).
- Validation-Friendly Updates: Work with vendors to establish update processes that align with validation requirements while ensuring that security updates are applied promptly.
You could also introduce a staging environment where updates can be tested without compromising production systems.
Securing the Future of Pharmaceutical Innovation
The fundamentals of cyber security are critical for pharmaceutical companies of all sizes and types, from manufacturers to clinical research organisations (CROs). During Cyber Security Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to review and strengthen your company’s security posture.
Final Takeaways for Pharmaceutical Businesses:
- Cyber security is a compliance issue: Strong cyber security practices protect your data and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Reinforce the basics: Strengthening passwords, using MFA, recognising phishing attempts, and updating software are critical steps for any pharmaceutical company, whether you handle patient records or quality control documentation.
- Take a proactive approach: Regular audits of your cyber security measures and IT infrastructure will help your organisation remain secure and compliant.
As custodians of some of the most valuable and sensitive data in the world, your business must lead the way in adopting advanced security measures, while never losing sight of the fundamentals.
ITforPharma: IT Solutions for Pharmaceutical Companies and Startups
A specialised IT services partner to the pharmaceuticals sector, we’re an experienced and dedicated team serving pharmaceutical businesses across the world. From fast, secure, and reliable IT to compliance with regulatory bodies such as the MHRA, FDA, and digital transformation solutions, we’re here to help you with all things IT. Curious to see the difference technology can make for your business? Get in touch with our team today.
