A COMPUTING expert has warned how our DNA is at risk of being stolen by cyber criminals due to inadequate security systems.

Dr Abu Alam, Senior Lecturer in Computing at the University of Gloucestershire, was part of a research team comprising experts from universities in the UK, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, that carried out the first in-depth study of its kind to look closely at the cyber security challenges across the next-generation DNA sequencing process.

Next Generation DNA Sequencing (NGS) technology can quickly and inexpensively analyse DNA, which allows scientists to examine the order of DNA building blocks to understand variations, identify diseases, or study gene function. This sequencing supports important advances in cancer research, drug development, agricultural innovation and forensic science.

However, if DNA datasets are accessed by hackers through inadequate security measures, this could lead to private and medical information being revealed, and the potential for future biothreats through malicious experimentation.

Dr Alam, from the university’s School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences, said: “This advanced technology has serious security vulnerabilities that, if left unprotected, could be exploited by hackers, leading to major risks not just to people’s privacy, but to scientific research, national security, and global health.

“Unlike typical cyber threats that attack computers and networks, threats in this area combine biology, software, and data. Protecting against them requires expertise across many fields, including genetics, computer science and cyber defence.

“As many DNA datasets are openly accessible online, it is possible for cybercriminals to misuse the information for surveillance, manipulation, or malicious experimentation.”

The Gloucestershire expert added: “Imagine hackers using actual DNA as a way to attack a computer system – that’s not science fiction, but a real possibility. It shows how the line between digital and biological security is becoming increasingly blurred.”

More information is available online.