Network Penetration Testing for Biotech Companies in Los Angeles (CA)

 

Biotech and life sciences companies in Los Angeles and across California are prime targets for cybercriminals. Intellectual property, clinical trial data, genomic datasets, protected health information (PHI), and proprietary formulas are far more valuable on the black market than standard corporate records. Threat actors use malware, phishing, password attacks, SQL injection, and ransomware to gain a foothold in your network and quietly exfiltrate data or disrupt operations.

According to industry research, the average cost of a data breach in 2021 reached $4.24M (source). That figure excludes many unreported incidents and does not fully capture business interruption, reputational damage, or the downstream regulatory and legal exposure that biotech firms face under frameworks such as HIPAA, FDA guidance, and state privacy laws.

For Los Angeles biotech organizations running research labs, cloud-based analytics, connected medical devices, and multi-site facilities, it is essential to regularly review, test, and upgrade cybersecurity controls to ensure they perform as expected under real-world attack conditions.

 

What Is Network Penetration Testing for Biotech?

 

Network penetration testing (net-pen testing) is a controlled, ethical hacking exercise where security professionals simulate attacks against your internal and external networks to identify vulnerabilities before adversaries do. For biotech companies in Los Angeles, this often includes:

• Corporate networks connecting offices, research labs, and manufacturing sites

• Cloud environments used for genomics, bioinformatics, and data-heavy R&D workloads

• VPNs and remote access for distributed research teams and contract partners

• Lab systems and OT networks such as LIMS, MES, building management, and connected lab devices

The objective is to find and safely exploit weaknesses in configuration, architecture, and process. The results give leadership clear visibility into:

• How easily an attacker could move from a phishing email to critical lab networks

• Whether current IT security controls (firewalls, EDR, MFA, segmentation) work as intended

• How well the organization detects and responds to an assumed compromise

• Where improvements are needed to support regulatory and security assessment requirements

 

Los Angeles & California Biotech Penetration Testing Experience

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing and IT security assessment services to biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, and healthcare-adjacent organizations in Los Angeles and across California. Our team combines deep technical expertise with practical experience in:

• Protecting sensitive research data and IP throughout the R&D lifecycle

• Assessing cloud and hybrid environments used for AI/ML and high-performance computing

• Reviewing network and security configurations across lab, office, and production networks

• Supporting compliance efforts related to HIPAA, state privacy rules, and industry best practices

Our penetration tests do more than produce a vulnerability list. You receive clear, prioritized remediation guidance focused on reducing real-world risk, not just satisfying a checkbox audit.

 

Network Penetration Testing Methodology

 

OCD Tech follows a structured, repeatable methodology that mirrors how real attackers operate, while maintaining strict safety and coordination with your teams. A typical engagement can include:

• Passive Reconnaissance – Quietly gathering information about your biotech environment from public sources to understand your attack surface.

• Active Reconnaissance – Scanning and probing networks, cloud assets, and exposed services to identify potential entry points.

• Social Engineering (where in scope) – Testing user awareness with targeted phishing or pretexting campaigns that align with realistic biotech scenarios (e.g., fake collaborator or CRO communication).

• Exploitation – Safely exploiting identified weaknesses to validate their impact, such as gaining access to internal systems or lab networks.

• Post-Exploitation – Assessing what an attacker could do after initial access: view data, pivot to other systems, or tamper with critical services.

• Privilege Escalation – Attempting to gain higher-level access, including admin or domain-level control, to understand worst-case scenarios.

• Lateral Movement – Testing how easily an attacker can move from a low-value system to high-value biotech assets such as LIMS, IP repositories, or clinical systems.

• Maintaining Access – Demonstrating how an adversary could persist inside the environment without detection.

• Covering Tracks – Showing whether existing logging and monitoring would detect or miss attacker activity.

• Reporting & Executive Briefing – Delivering a detailed report and clear, non-technical summary for leadership, including risk ratings, root causes, and practical remediation steps aligned with your biotech operations.

 

National Reach

 

While we work extensively with biotech and life sciences organizations in Los Angeles and throughout California, OCD Tech also provides network penetration testing, red team, and configuration review services nationwide, including:

• Boston (MA)

• New York City (NY)

• Washington DC

• Philadelphia (PA)

• Dallas (TX)

• Los Angeles (CA)

• Chicago (IL)

• Baltimore (MD)

 

Contact Our Los Angeles Network Penetration Testing Consultants

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing, IT security assessments, and broader cybersecurity consulting to biotech and life sciences organizations in Los Angeles and across California. If you would like to discuss a penetration test, red team exercise, or configuration review tailored to your biotech environment, complete the form below and a team member will follow up with you shortly.