BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC. - (BIO)
10-K Filing Date: February 16, 2024
ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY
Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy
We have developed and implemented a cybersecurity risk management program intended to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our critical systems and information. Our cybersecurity risk management program includes a cybersecurity incident response plan.
We design and assess our program based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework Special Publication 800-53, 800-61, rev 2 and Center for Internet Security, Critical Security Controls (CIS Controls). This does not imply that we meet any particular technical standards, specifications, or requirements, only that we use the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework as a guide to help us identify, assess, and manage cybersecurity risks relevant to our business.
Our cybersecurity risk management program is part of our overall enterprise risk management program, and shares common methodologies, reporting channels and governance processes that apply across the enterprise risk management program to other legal, compliance, strategic, operational, and financial risk areas.
Our cybersecurity risk management program includes:
•risk assessments designed to help identify material cybersecurity risks to our critical systems, information, products, services, and our broader enterprise IT environment;
•a security team principally responsible for managing (1) our cybersecurity risk assessment processes, (2) our security controls, and (3) our response to cybersecurity incidents;
•the use of external service providers, where appropriate, to assess, test or otherwise assist with aspects of our security controls;
•cybersecurity awareness training of our employees, incident response personnel, and senior management;
•a cybersecurity incident response plan that includes procedures for responding to cybersecurity incidents; and
•a third-party risk management process for critical service providers, suppliers, and vendors.
We have not identified risks from known cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any prior cybersecurity incidents in the past three fiscal years, that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect us, including our operations, business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. For more information about our cybersecurity related risks, see Part 1, Item 1A, Risk Factors under the risks titled "Breaches of our information systems could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations" and "If our information technology systems are disrupted, or if we fail to successfully implement, manage and integrate our information technology and reporting systems, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be harmed."
Cybersecurity Governance
Our Board considers cybersecurity risk as part of its risk oversight function and has delegated to the Legal and Regulatory Compliance Committee (Committee) oversight of cybersecurity and other information technology risks. The Committee oversees management’s implementation of our cybersecurity risk management program.
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The Committee receives quarterly reports from management on our cybersecurity risks. In addition, management updates the Committee, as necessary, regarding any material cybersecurity incidents, as well as any incidents with lesser impact potential.
The Committee reports to the full Board regarding its activities, including those related to cybersecurity. The full Board also receives briefings from management on our cyber risk management program. Board members receive presentations or reports on cybersecurity topics from our SVP Global Technology & Systems, who is our Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), internal security staff or external experts as part of the Board’s continuing education on topics that impact public companies.
Our management team, including, our Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Privacy Officer, General Counsel, Director of Information Security & IT Compliance, Corporate Treasurer, and Internal Audit Senior Director, is responsible for assessing and managing our material risks from cybersecurity threats. The team has primary responsibility for our overall cybersecurity risk management program and supervises both our internal cybersecurity personnel and our retained external cybersecurity consultants. Our management team includes a wealth of expertise in navigating the complex landscape of cybersecurity, with a robust background in cyber risk management and incident response. With a collective experience that spans several decades, our team has successfully addressed and mitigated diverse cyber threats, ranging from sophisticated attacks to emerging vulnerabilities. Members of our management team hold industry-recognized certifications, including but not limited to CISSP, CISA, and CEH, underscoring their commitment to continuous professional development and adherence to the highest standards in the field.
Our management team supervises efforts to prevent, detect, mitigate, and remediate cybersecurity risks and incidents through various means, which may include briefings from internal security personnel; threat intelligence and other information obtained from governmental, public or private sources, including external consultants engaged by us; and alerts and reports produced by security tools deployed in the IT environment.