The UK and European pharmaceutical sector faces rising cyber threats. Learn how Cristie Software helps improve cyber resilience with automated recovery verification and real-time system replication.

Pharma cybersecurity UK and Europe: Why the Stakes Have Never Been Higher

Pharma’s Cybersecurity Crossroads: Challenges & Risks

Pharmaceutical companies in the UK and Europe are confronting a pharma cybersecurity crisis. With vast stores of intellectual property, sensitive patient data, and complex digital supply chains, the industry is a lucrative target for threat actors.

Top Pharma Cybersecurity Challenges:

  • IP Theft & Data Breaches: Confidential R&D data and clinical results are key targets.
  • Complex Supply Chains: Reliance on third-party labs and contractors increases risk exposure.
  • IoT & Connected Devices: Smart lab equipment and medical sensors expand the attack surface.
  • Compliance Pressures: GDPR, DORA, and MHRA regulations demand strong data protection and auditable recovery readiness.
  • Operational Downtime: Cyber incidents can halt drug manufacturing, delay trials, and risk patient safety.

Real-World Attacks: Pharma cybersecurity in the Firing Line

🧬 June 2024 – Synnovis ransomware attack hits London hospitals

A ransomware attack on Synnovis—a diagnostics partner to several NHS Trusts—halted pathology testing, impacting surgeries and emergency care across London. The Qilin cyber gang later published 400GB of stolen patient and lab data, making this one of the UK’s most disruptive healthcare breaches to date.

🦠 April 2025 – ResolverRAT targets pharma & healthcare across Europe

A widespread phishing campaign delivered custom malware using DLL sideloading. ResolverRAT quietly infiltrated pharma systems, stealing research data and credentials, showing how advanced persistent threats now target R&D environments.

📊 EU Cyber Incidents Report (2023)

The European Commission cited 309 major cybersecurity events in the healthcare sector in 2023—more than any other critical industry.

The Fallout: What's at Stake for Pharma Companies?

Impact Area

Consequences

R&D Operations

Project delays, IP theft, competitive loss

Patient Trust

Data leaks can erode public confidence

Compliance Risks

Heavy fines under GDPR, DORA, and MHRA

Operational Downtime

Drug production and clinical trials disrupted

How Cristie Software Helps Improve Pharma’s Cyber Resilience

Cristie Software provides solutions built for rapid recovery, data integrity, and zero-downtime failover—exactly what the pharmaceutical industry needs to meet today’s threat landscape.

✅ 1. Automated Backup Verification with Continuous Recovery Assurance (CRA)

  • Automatically verifies every Rubrik Security Cloud, Cohesity DataProtect, Dell PowerProtect Data Manager, Dell Avamar, Dell Networker, or IBM Storage Protect/Storage Defender backup.
  • Performs a full system recovery test in an isolated, clean-room environment.
  • Confirms bootability and data integrity, giving pharma IT teams confidence their recovery will work when it’s needed most.

 

🔄 2. Real-Time System Replication with CloneManager

  • Keeps critical systems continuously replicated across environments (on-prem, cloud, hybrid).
  • Enables rapid failover in the event of a cyberattack or outage—preserving trial data and manufacturing workflows.
  • Supports scheduled replication with minimal performance impact.

 

🛡 3. Clean-Room Recovery Validation

  • Verifies backups are free from embedded malware or tampering by restoring them in an isolated virtual environment (Cristie VA).
  • Ensures only safe, operational images are promoted into production.

 

📋 4. Audit-Ready Reporting for Compliance

  • Provides proof of recovery capability for GDPR, DORA, MHRA and other frameworks.
  • Keeps detailed logs of every successful backup test and replication.

Why It Matters for Pharma Decision-Makers

Whether you’re managing global clinical trials or maintaining a 24/7 manufacturing operation, Cristie’s solutions reduce recovery time, safeguard data integrity, and streamline compliance—while minimizing disruption and downtime.

🔗 Next Steps for Resilient Pharma IT

  • Book a demo to see CRA and CloneManager in action
  • Explore how Cristie integrates with your existing data protection stack
  • Audit your current resilience posture and close the gaps before the next attack

 

âž¡ Visit www.cristie.com to learn more or get in touch with our team.

Contact the Cristie Software team if you are looking to improve system recovery and replication within your organization, or to learn more about system replication and our system recovery integration with leading backup solutions from vendors including IBM, Dell Technologies, Rubrik and Cohesity.

Finally, learn how we are helping further companies modernize system recovery in our Use Case pages.

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