Defending Our Public Biological Databases as a Global Critical Infrastructure

Area of Science:

• Genomics and Proteomics
• Bioinformatics
• Data Science

Background:

• Public biological sequence databases, such as the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC), are essential resources driving biological discovery and innovation.
• These open-access repositories, while invaluable, share similarities with early internet vulnerabilities due to their high trust and open nature.
• The increasing size and importance of these databases heighten their susceptibility to cybersecurity threats.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify potential quality assurance and security weaknesses in current open genomic and proteomic repositories.
• To propose methods for mitigating intentional and unintentional errors within these biological databases.
• To offer recommendations for risk management informed by established cybersecurity principles.

Main Methods:

• Surveying existing open genomic and proteomic databases for vulnerabilities.
• Analyzing methods to reduce the incidence of data errors, both accidental and malicious.
• Drawing parallels with cybersecurity best practices for risk mitigation strategies.

Main Results:

• Identified specific quality assurance and security vulnerabilities in public biological data repositories.
• Outlined strategies to enhance data integrity and protect against unauthorized access or manipulation.
• Highlighted the need for integrating security as a foundational design element rather than an afterthought.

Conclusions:

• Public biological databases require a proactive approach to quality and security to prevent future breaches.
• Implementing robust security measures is essential to maintain the integrity and trustworthiness of these critical scientific resources.
• Adopting cybersecurity best practices can safeguard valuable biological data and support continued scientific advancement.