Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. - (RARE)
10-K Filing Date: February 21, 2024
In the ordinary course of our business, we collect, use, store, and transmit digitally large amounts of confidential, financial, sensitive, proprietary, personal, and health-related information. The secure maintenance of this information and our information technology systems is important to our operations and business strategy. To this end, we have implemented processes designed to assess, identify, and manage risks from potential unauthorized occurrences on or through our information technology systems that may result in adverse effects on the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of these systems and the data residing therein. These processes are managed and monitored by a dedicated information technology team, including a Senior Director of Information Security, and is led by our Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer, or “CIO”. Our processes include mechanisms, controls, technologies, and systems designed to prevent or mitigate data loss, theft, misuse, or other security incidents or vulnerabilities affecting the data and maintain a stable information technology environment. For example, we conduct penetration and vulnerability testing, data recovery testing, security audits, and ongoing risk assessments, including due diligence on and audits of our key technology vendors, and other contractors and suppliers. We also conduct regular employee trainings on cyber and information security, among other topics. In addition, we consult with outside advisors and experts, when appropriate, to assist with assessing, identifying, and managing cybersecurity risks, including to anticipate future threats and trends, and their impact on the Company’s risk environment.
Our CIO, together with our Senior Director of Information Security and other members of the IT leadership team, are responsible for assessing and managing cybersecurity risks. Our CIO has ten years of experience managing information technology and cybersecurity. Our Senior Director of Information Security has over 26 years of experience managing information technology and cybersecurity matters and is certified as a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). We consider cybersecurity, along with other significant risks that we face, within our overall enterprise risk management framework. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we did not identify risks from known cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any prior cybersecurity incidents, that have materially affected us, but we face certain ongoing cybersecurity risks or threats that, if realized, are reasonably likely to materially affect us. Additional information on cybersecurity risks we face is discussed in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” under the heading “Our business and operations may be materially adversely affected in the event of computer system failures or security breaches.”
The Board of Directors, as a whole and at the committee level, has oversight for the most significant risks facing us and for our processes to identify, prioritize, assess, manage, and mitigate those risks. The Audit Committee, which is comprised solely of independent directors, has been designated by our Board to oversee cybersecurity risks. The Audit Committee receives regular updates on cybersecurity and information technology matters and related risk exposures from our CIO. The Board also receives updates from the Audit Committee on cybersecurity risks on at least an annual basis.