Potential cyber risks for the pharmaceutical sector

Abstract

Different pharmaceutical companies have been affected by cyberattacks over the last few years, but the goals, targets and methods employed vary. Some are collateral damage, others are infected for spying or ransom. Regardless of the attack, the consequences can be disastrous for the company.

Among the hacker groups targeting the pharmaceutical industry, Chinese actors seem the more active and dangerous for the sector. All appear to have links with the Chinese state. APT41 seems particularly dangerous at that time. However, there are no hacker groups known to specifically target the pharmaceutical industry.

The recent Chinese interest in the biopharmaceutical industry has to be highlighted. Different U.S. government organisations have underlined the fact that biopharmaceutical companies were among the favourite industries of Chinese hacker groups looking to steal trade secrets, and that increasing Chinese investments in the U.S. biotechnology sector represented a risk for national security.