Cybersecurity for life sciences

Life sciences and medical device companies face cybersecurity expectations that span a product's full lifecycle, both before and after it's approved for sale. The FDA expects medical device manufacturers to show they have a plan for cybersecurity vulnerabilities that surface after a product is released, and life sciences organizations must also keep up with changing regulations, including new FDA information sharing requirements. Beyond the product itself, that means protecting research data and intellectual property, securing the connectivity and interoperability functions devices depend on, and managing threats from inside the facility and out.

SideChannel protects research data and intellectual property by pairing vCISO leadership with Enclave, its zero-trust platform, so the strategy and the infrastructure come from the same team. Enclave's network segmentation isolates connected devices so a single compromise can't move across the environment, its asset intelligence surfaces what's actually on the network, and certificate lifecycle management keeps data protected across devices and environments. A SideChannel vCISO builds the strategy around those controls, from an initial risk assessment to ongoing guidance.

A vCISO (virtual or fractional CISO) is a named, experienced security executive who builds and runs a life sciences organization's security program on a fractional basis. That includes running an initial risk assessment, building a complete cybersecurity strategy, maintaining federal compliance standards, and providing ongoing security guidance, all without the cost of a full-time hire. A SideChannel vCISO is backed by Enclave underneath, so strategy and infrastructure come from the same team.

Supply-chain risk matters in life sciences because a breach anywhere in the supply chain can cause disruptions and threaten research even when a company's own systems are secure. Life sciences products also rely on connectivity and interoperability functions that widen the attack surface, and threats can hide in the supply chain as well as inside the facility. Third parties are involved in roughly 30% of breaches industry-wide (Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report), which is why supply-chain and vendor risk is a core part of a mature life sciences security program. SideChannel helps secure that surface with Enclave's network segmentation, which isolates connected devices so a single compromise can't move across the environment, and asset intelligence, which surfaces what's actually on the network.