cyberbiosecurity

Cyberbiosecurity is an interdisciplinary field that studies the protection of biological data, computational tools, and biotechnological infrastructure from cyber threats. It encompasses information security for genomic and clinical data, cybersecurity of laboratory information management systems, and the security of automated bioprocessing hardware and software. It also addresses the risk of dual-use technologies when cyber vulnerabilities could enable misuse of biological capabilities, from gene synthesis to data-driven design.

Threats include ransomware and data breaches targeting genomic databases and health records, unauthorized access to laboratory instruments and automation systems, manipulation of software used for sequence analysis or gene editing, and disruptions to supply chains that deliver reagents and software. The growing digitization of biology—cloud-based analytics, networked sequencing devices, electronic lab notebooks, and IoT-enabled equipment—expands the attack surface and the potential impact of incidents.

Responses rely on integrated risk management and collaboration among cybersecurity professionals, biosafety experts, and policymakers. Core practices include risk assessment, access controls, encryption, secure software development, patch management, incident response, backup and disaster recovery, and supply chain verification. Organizations often align with established frameworks such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework or ISO/IEC 27001, and may adopt privacy protections in line with biosurveillance and health data regulations.

Education and governance efforts emphasize responsible data handling, ethical considerations, and transparent reporting of incidents to reduce risks without stifling scientific innovation.