Network Penetration Testing for Biotech Companies in Omaha

 

Biotech organizations in Omaha and across Nebraska hold some of the most valuable data in the region: clinical trial results, genomic datasets, proprietary formulas, lab automation systems, and intellectual property that took years and millions of dollars to develop. That makes local biotech firms an attractive target for organized cybercrime, nation-state actors, and insider threats.

Attackers use methods such as phishing, ransomware, malware, password attacks, and SQL injection to gain access to research networks, lab systems, and cloud environments. Once inside, they aim to steal or encrypt sensitive data, disrupt lab operations, or quietly exfiltrate IP over time. In 2021, the median cost of a reported data breach reached $4.24M (source)—and that only includes incidents organizations chose to disclose. For biotech, where the value of a single dataset can exceed that number, the true risk is significantly higher.

Network penetration testing (often called a pentest) is a controlled, ethical hacking exercise where security professionals simulate real-world cyberattacks against your corporate, lab, and cloud networks. For biotech in Omaha, this means testing everything from VPNs and office networks to lab instrument segments, research databases, and remote access used by CROs and research partners. The goal is to find and safely exploit weaknesses before a real attacker does.

Regular penetration testing helps biotech leadership in Nebraska to:

• Identify and prioritize vulnerabilities in research networks, lab systems, and cloud environments
• Validate existing IT security controls such as firewalls, EDR, MFA, and network segmentation between corporate and lab environments
• Support compliance with frameworks and regulations that often touch biotech, such as HIPAA (for PHI), FDA expectations for computerized systems, and vendor due diligence requirements
• Reduce the likelihood of data breaches involving clinical, genomic, or IP-rich datasets

 

Biotech-Focused Network Penetration Testing in Nebraska

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing services for biotech and life sciences companies in Omaha and throughout Nebraska. Our consultants have experience working with:

• Biotech startups and scale-ups in research corridors around Omaha and Lincoln
• Organizations collaborating with academic medical centers and research institutions
• Firms operating regulated environments handling PHI, clinical systems, or FDA-relevant data

We combine IT security assessment expertise with a practical understanding of how modern biotech actually operates—cloud-native platforms, lab information systems, remote collaborators, and heavily instrumented lab networks. Our penetration tests do more than generate a list of issues; they provide clear, prioritized remediation guidance aligned with how your teams work and the constraints of regulated research environments.

The result is a security assessment that not only exposes weaknesses but also delivers actionable recommendations to strengthen defenses without disrupting critical research and lab operations.

 

Network Penetration Testing Methodology

 

OCD Tech follows a structured, repeatable penetration testing methodology tailored to biotech network environments. A typical engagement includes:

• Passive Reconnaissance – Quietly gathering information about your external footprint, domains, and public-facing assets without direct interaction
• Active Reconnaissance – Safely scanning and probing systems to identify live hosts, services, and potential entry points
• Social Engineering – Where in scope, testing employee awareness through controlled phishing or impersonation to evaluate human risk
• Exploitation – Attempting to safely exploit identified vulnerabilities to demonstrate real-world impact, such as access to research networks or internal systems
• Post-Exploitation – Assessing what an attacker could do after gaining access, including movement toward lab systems, data repositories, or backups
• Privilege Escalation – Attempting to move from standard user access to admin or domain-level control
• Lateral Movement – Testing whether an attacker could move between corporate, lab, and cloud environments, or between different research segments
• Maintaining Access – Demonstrating how long-term unauthorized access could be established, while keeping changes tightly controlled and documented
• Covering Tracks – Evaluating how easily activity could be hidden from existing logging, monitoring, and SOC processes (where in scope)
• Reporting – Delivering a clear, non-technical executive summary alongside detailed technical findings, risk ratings, and remediation steps

This methodology supports a range of testing styles, including Red Team-style exercises to emulate advanced attackers and Purple Team engagements that actively involve your defensive (Blue Team) staff to improve detection and response.

 

National Reach

 

While we work closely with biotech and life sciences organizations in Omaha and across Nebraska, OCD Tech also provides 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 Omaha Network Penetration Testing Consultants

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing and cybersecurity consulting for biotech and life sciences companies in Omaha and across Nebraska. If you would like to discuss how a tailored penetration test can help protect your research, IP, and lab operations, complete the form below and a member of our team will follow up with you shortly.