Operations Security for Emerging Biotechnology Applications: BioOPSEC to Address Biotech Security
Abstract
Widespread collection, distribution, and storage of biotechnological data in global collaborations continue to contribute to remarkable advancements in human health. However, widespread biomedical data collection also precipitates emergent vulnerabilities in data security, individual privacy, and scientific reproducibility. Mitigating vulnerabilities in biotechnological infrastructure and workflows requires engagement and collaboration amongst all stakeholders, which can be accelerated via use of standardized security procedures and terminologies. Herein we present Biotechnological Operations Security (BioOPSEC), an extensible framework that unifies the terminologies and concepts between biological, cyber, network, and physical security siloes. Additionally, by integrating biotechnology-specific considerations, BioOPSEC can be applied across the disparate systems, equipment, experimental procedures, operators, and environments in which biotechnological data are utilized. BioOPSEC identifies and analyzes existing best practices, novel vulnerabilities, and high-impact countermeasures for biomedical data procurement. In order to demonstrate the BioOPSEC process, we simulate a multi-site precision medicine study in order to analyze the potential chain of custody of a genomic biospecimen. For each step in the genomic biospecimen lifecycle, we identify critical information, analyze threats and vulnerabilities, assess risk, and prioritize countermeasures.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1121263
Entities
People
- Albert H. Bonnema
- Alexander J. Titus
- Erin M. Mcauley
- Ezekiel J. Maier
- Jameson D Voss
- Michelle Rozo
- Richard R Chapleau
Organizations
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Office Of The Under Secretary Of Defense
- United States Air Force
- United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine
- University of New Hampshire