Network Penetration Testing for Biotech Companies in Des Moines (IA)

 

Biotech organizations in Des Moines and across Iowa handle highly sensitive information every day—clinical trial data, protected health information (PHI), genomic datasets, proprietary formulas, and R&D intellectual property. This makes local biotech networks a prime target for ransomware groups, nation‑state actors, and financially motivated cybercriminals.

Common attack methods include phishing emails, malware infections, stolen or weak passwords, ransomware, and database attacks such as SQL injection. The financial impact is severe: the median reported cost of a data breach in 2021 was $4.24M, and biotech/healthcare incidents often exceed that due to regulatory penalties, downtime in labs, and loss of IP.

For biotech firms operating in and around Des Moines—especially those working with FDA-regulated products, HIPAA-regulated data, or research partners at institutions like Iowa State and regional health systems—regular, independent network penetration testing is no longer optional. It is a core part of a mature IT security program and an effective way to verify that firewalls, VPNs, lab networks, and cloud environments are actually protecting your data under realistic attack conditions.

Network penetration testing (net-pen testing) is a controlled, ethical hacking exercise in which security professionals simulate real-world cyberattacks against your IT environment. The goal is to safely identify and exploit vulnerabilities before an attacker does, then provide clear, prioritized guidance for remediation. For biotech, this often includes testing connectivity to:

• Lab networks and instruments (LIMS, sequencing platforms, lab automation systems)

• Cloud environments used for data analysis, collaboration, and storage

• Corporate offices and remote users supporting R&D, finance, legal, and executive teams

• Third-party integrations with CROs, hospitals, universities, and manufacturing partners

The outcome is a clear security assessment that helps leadership understand risk, validate existing controls, and support compliance efforts (HIPAA, FDA expectations around data integrity, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and vendor due diligence from partners and investors).

 

Iowa Biotech Network Penetration Testing Expertise

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing services to biotech and life sciences companies in Des Moines and throughout Iowa. Our consultants combine hands‑on penetration testing experience with a deep understanding of regulated and research-heavy environments, including mixed corporate and lab networks.

We routinely perform IT security assessments for organizations that:

• Process or store PHI, clinical data, or patient‑linked research information

• Manage valuable intellectual property such as drug candidates, assay methods, or genetic data

• Depend on availability of lab systems where downtime directly impacts experiments and production

• Need to demonstrate a strong security posture to regulators, boards, investors, or strategic partners

Our approach goes beyond a simple vulnerability scan. We provide:

• Realistic attack simulations that mirror the tactics used by modern threat actors targeting biotech

• Practical remediation recommendations prioritized by risk and business impact

• Clear reporting for both executive leadership and technical teams

The result is a penetration test that not only exposes weaknesses but also delivers actionable steps to strengthen defenses across corporate, lab, and cloud environments.

 

Network Penetration Testing Methodology

 

OCD Tech follows a structured, repeatable methodology that aligns with industry best practices for ethical hacking and red team activities. While highly technical under the hood, the process is transparent and tightly controlled to avoid disrupting critical biotech operations.

Our typical methodology includes:

• Passive Reconnaissance – Quietly collecting information about your organization and systems from public sources, without touching production environments.

• Active Reconnaissance – Safely scanning your internal and external networks to identify live systems, open ports, and potential entry points.

• Social Engineering (when in scope) – Testing how well your staff detect phishing and other manipulation attempts, without crossing agreed boundaries.

• Exploitation – Attempting to exploit identified weaknesses to gain initial access, using techniques comparable to real-world attackers.

• Post-Exploitation – Assessing what an attacker could do once inside: access lab systems, sensitive file shares, or research data repositories.

• Privilege Escalation – Testing whether limited access can be escalated to administrator or domain-level control.

• Lateral Movement – Evaluating how easily an attacker could move between corporate, lab, and cloud environments.

• Maintaining Access – Determining whether long-term, stealthy access could be established if controls are not properly configured.

• Covering Tracks – Assessing logging and monitoring effectiveness: would your blue team or SOC actually detect the activity?

• Reporting – Delivering a concise, non-technical executive summary supported by detailed technical findings, risk ratings, and remediation guidance.

This method provides a realistic view of how an assumed compromise could play out in a biotech setting, while giving your internal blue team and IT staff clear data to improve defenses.

 

National Reach

 

Although we work closely with biotech and life sciences organizations in Des Moines and across Iowa, OCD Tech also delivers network penetration testing services nationwide, including:

• Boston (MA)

• New York City (NY)

• Washington DC

• Philadelphia (PA)

• Dallas (TX)

• Los Angeles (CA)

• Chicago (IL)

• Baltimore (MD)

 

Contact Our Iowa Network Penetration Testing Consultants

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing and cybersecurity consulting to biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, and life sciences organizations in Des Moines and throughout Iowa. Whether you are scaling a startup, operating a GMP facility, or supporting multi-site research programs, we can help you understand and reduce your cyber risk.

If you would like to discuss a network penetration test or broader IT security assessment for your biotech organization, please complete the form below. A member of our team will contact you to review your environment, scope the engagement, and propose a testing approach that respects both your regulatory obligations and your operational realities in the lab.