Scenario 6: Solicure is a leading pharmaceutical company dedicated to manufacturing and distributing essential medications.

Scenario 6: Solicure is a leading pharmaceutical company dedicated to manufacturing and distributing essential medications. Thriving in an industry characterized by strict regulations and demanding quality benchmarks, Solicure has taken proactive steps to adhere to the requirements of the NIS 2 Directive. This proactive approach strengthens digital resilience and ensures the continued excellence of product offerings.

Last year, a cyberattack disrupted Solicure’s research and development operations, raising concerns about the potential compromise of sensitive information regarding drug formulation. Solicure initiated an immediate investigation led by its cybersecurity team, gathering technical data to understand the attackers’ methods, assess the damage, and swiftly identify the source of the breach. In addition, the company implemented measures to isolate compromised systems and remove the attackers from its network. Lastly, acknowledging the necessity for long-term security improvement, Solicure implemented a comprehensive set of security measures to comply with NIS 2 Directive requirements, covering aspects such as cybersecurity risk management, supply chain security, incident handling, crisis management, and cybersecurity crisis response planning, among others.

In line with its crisis management strategy, Solicure’s chief information security officer, Sarah, led the initiative to develop a comprehensive exercise plan to enhance cyber resilience. This plan was designed to be adaptable and inclusive, ensuring that organizational decision-makers possessed the essential knowledge and skills required for effective cybersecurity threat mitigation. Additionally, to enhance the efficacy of its crisis management planning, Solicure adopted an approach that prioritized the structuring of crisis response.

A key aspect of Solicure’s cybersecurity risk management approach centered on the security of its human resources. Given the sensitive nature of its pharmaceutical products, the company placed utmost importance on the employees’ backgrounds. As a result, Solicure implemented a rigorous evaluation process for new employees, including criminal history reviews, prior role investigations, reference check, and pre-employment drug tests.

To comply with NIS 2 requirements, Solicure integrated a business continuity strategy into its operations. As a leading provider of life-saving medicines and critical healthcare products, Solicure faced high stakes, with potential production and distribution interruptions carrying life-threatening consequences for patients. After extensive research and consultation with business management experts, the company decided to utilize a secondary location to reinforce the critical operations at the primary site. Along with its business continuity management strategy, Solicure developed a set of procedures to recover and protect its IT infrastructure in the event of a disaster and ensure the continued availability of its medications.

Which of the following crisis management planning approaches did Solicure adopt? Refer to scenario 6.