German life science company Evotec has shut down all its IT systems in response to a potential cyberattack. The company has detected unusual activity in one of its IT systems and is currently conducting a forensic examination with external IT specialists to ascertain the extent and impact of the attack.
Evotec confirmed that business continuity is being upheld at all its global sites while selected systems will stay offline until the forensic examination is completed and security plans are put in place. The company will provide further updates on its website.
Evotec is a life science company that specializes in the discovery, development, and production of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products. Its multimodality platform consists of innovative technologies, data, and science to create effective therapeutics that are made available to patients.
The company is based in Hamburg, Germany, and operates globally with several sites worldwide. The company has informed the relevant authorities about the cyberattack, and it has implemented measures to secure its systems from data corruption or breaches.
The cyberattack on Evotec is the latest in a series of similar incidents that have occurred in the healthcare industry. In 2020, there was a significant increase in cyberattacks on healthcare providers, with a 45% increase in the number of attacks compared to the previous year.
Cybersecurity experts have warned that the healthcare industry is particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks due to the sensitive nature of the data it holds.
Cybercriminals see healthcare as an easy target, and healthcare providers must take proactive measures to protect their systems and data.
