When a Silicon Valley medical technology incubator needed to ensure the safety of the vast amounts of intellectual property generated by its companies, it contacted KalioTek. With extensive expertise in working with biotech companies in Silicon Valley and San Francisco, KalioTek is uniquely suited to deliver the technical solutions, services, support and insights needed.
The San Jose organization was deeply concerned about protecting the proprietary information, gleaned from years of research, persistence, and trial and error, generated by the companies it hosts. It also needed a clearer understanding of what other biotech companies are using for their own IT security needs.
What’s more, the incubator was looking to upgrade its IT security as soon as possible.
What IT Security Consulting Can KalioTek Provide?
Biotech companies are heavily reliant on IT today. Research, operations, patient data, billing, instrumentation, analytics and sales are all important components of life sciences businesses in San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
These companies are under intense regulatory scrutiny, including HIPAA and mandates from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other federal agencies. Guidelines on patient confidentiality, testing and research protocols, documentation and reporting needs require a complex array of tools.
They’re also prime targets. In 2018, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center identified biotechs as being at increased risk for cyber attack. Security mandates may differ based on the company’s type and purpose, but there are common threads that nearly all life sciences must weave into their technology solution.
We provide both IT security consulting and technology solutions. KalioTek can help with a wide range of security concerns, including:
- The level of security on your IT infrastructure
- Potential theft of intellectual property
- Preventing a cyber attack
- Maintaining business continuity in the case of a natural disaster or cyber attack
- Ensuring regulatory compliance from governmental or industrial entities
Our fully staffed IT security consulting team has more than 20 years of life sciences IT experience. Our security services are delivered for a flat monthly fee, giving you predictability and peace of mind.
How Does KalioTek Determine What’s Needed?
We begin our work with your life sciences company by gaining a clear understanding of your systems, networks and applications. Our initial IT security consulting assessment includes:
- A review of your present IT and security capabilities
- An assessment of the current solution’s ability to meet current and future business needs
- Mapping and assessment of your IT infrastructure, including:
- What types of cloud computing are in use (public, private and hybrid)
- What data is stored in the cloud
- What security tools are in place for the data stored in the cloud
- How back-end functions manage and log access
- LAN and WAN architecture and remote access
- Network infrastructure, including Active Directory, DHCP, DNS, firewall, switches and wireless
- Server hardware and OS patch levels
- Email system and mobile messaging
- Data storage
- Server backup architecture and procedures
- Monitoring tools
- Server room design
- Anti-spam, anti-virus and anti-phishing software
- Security configurations
- A risk assessment of your current IT infrastructure
- A vulnerability assessment
- A review of IT policies and procedures
We then deliver a gap analysis with recommendations for a customized IT security solution that addresses those needs.
Once the solution is approved, KalioTek will procure the necessary components, install and configure them, and ensure that your employees are trained and comfortable using the solution.
Our approach is to provide your life sciences company with an overlapping canvas of protections at each level of your IT bundle. Gone are the days when anti-virus software and a simple network firewall suffice. The threats are too numerous, sophisticated and pervasive.
What Kinds of IT Security Consulting Solutions Are Available?
Our solutions include the following core components:
- Data Security. Whether stored on-premises, in the cloud or in a hybrid solution, you need your data protected, not only for your company’s protection but also to ensure compliance with any regulatory mandates. We provide backups for your data, operating systems and applications to ensure your data is safe and accessible.
- Remote Monitoring. KalioTek can monitor your network and applications 24/7. Our products allow for automated scanning of endpoints and devices and can detect suspicious or unwanted activity quickly. Our solutions are designed not only to detect threats but quarantine and dispose of them before serious damage can occur.
- Anti-Virus. Protect your users’ computers and servers with advanced anti-virus protections that root out known and new threats, including email spoofing, spam, phishing attempts and malware. All too often, cyberattacks begin when an unsuspecting employee clicks on a link that opens your network to unwanted access. Our tools, along with staff training, help reduce these risks.
- Penetration Testing. Our penetration testing tools help to assess the planning, design and implementation of a security solution. Potential vulnerabilities are identified and you receive a report with findings and recommendations. Once remediation efforts are in place, retesting can be done to assess if the corrective measures work.
- Disaster Planning. Our business continuity and disaster planning services help to make sure you have the policies and procedures in place to ensure minimal disruption in the case of a disaster, whether natural or manmade.
KalioTek is the leader in advanced IT security solutions for San Francisco and Silicon Valley biotechs. To learn more about our services and to schedule your initial, free consultation, contact us today.
