Attacks in research environments: How to protect connected laboratories from APTs

Over the past decade, scientific and technological research environments have become prime targets for advanced threat actors. Connected laboratories, with large volumes of sensitive data, critical infrastructure, and IoT devices, represent an attractive target for Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs).

In this article, the ESED team, specialists in advanced cybersecurity, provide an in-depth explanation of how APTs operate in R&D settings, what the most critical risks are, and what strategies should be adopted to protect these environments.

Why are research laboratories high-value targets?

On one hand, they handle critical information and confidential data. On the other, they rely on complex, heterogeneous infrastructures.

Unpublished scientific research results, government-funded projects, advanced technology prototypes, or commercially valuable intellectual property are highly attractive to cybercriminals seeking financial gain, their main objective.

To achieve this, attackers exploit technological tools and advancements implemented in the lab, using them as entry points into IT systems and infrastructure. Examples include scientific analysis equipment connected to internal networks, IoT devices, or workstations with access to critical data.

Exploiting vulnerabilities and weak points, known as security gaps, in these infrastructures and tools can lead to malware infiltrations and the theft of confidential information.

What is an APT and how does It affect R&D environments?

An APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) is a sophisticated, targeted, and long-term cyberattack. Unlike automated, large-scale attacks, an APT doesn’t aim for immediate results. Instead, it infiltrates an environment discreetly and remains hidden for as long as possible, gathering valuable information or manipulating strategic systems.

Key characteristics of APTs include:

• Advanced: They use complex techniques, zero-day exploits, custom malware, and even social engineering.
  
  
• Persistent: They maintain long-term access to systems, often for months, using backdoors and evasion techniques.
  
  
• Targeted: They focus on very specific objectives, such as universities, research centers, high-tech companies, or government entities.

How do APTs impact research and development (R&D) environments?

R&D environments, including university labs, medical research centers, aerospace or tech facilities, are particularly attractive to APT groups for several reasons:

• Intellectual Property Theft:
  One of the main goals is the exfiltration of research results, technical designs, patents in development, and innovative algorithms. This information can be invaluable to foreign governments or industrial competitors.
  
  
• Scientific Integrity Compromise:
  Altering or manipulating experimental data can sabotage critical advancements—from clinical trials to materials testing—with serious ethical, legal, and commercial implications.
  
  
• Institutional Espionage:
  Many APTs are state-sponsored and seek strategic or political information, such as project funding, international collaborations, or dual-use technologies (civilian and military).
  
  
• Operational Disruption:
  While not always the primary goal, poorly managed APTs can cause operational interruptions in scientific equipment, loss of access to experimental data, or corruption of virtual simulation environments.

Real-World Examples

• APT41 has been linked to attacks on tech universities and biotech centers.
  
  
• Charming Kitten and APT33 targeted medical research during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  
  
• Winnti Group has been associated with infiltrations in software and industrial engineering research organizations.

Why are APTs so hard to detect in R&D environments?

Detecting an APT in an R&D setting is both a technical and operational challenge. These environments have unique characteristics that, without proper controls, make it easier for attackers to move laterally, exfiltrate data, and maintain long-term access undetected.

• Many lab-connected devices run custom or outdated operating systems that can’t be updated or secured with standard tools, leaving invisible gaps.
  
  
• Modern systems often coexist with legacy servers, industrial hardware, or outdated virtual environments, creating vulnerable tech islands that are hard to monitor uniformly.
  
  
• In many R&D setups, administrative, scientific, and public access networks share the same infrastructure, allowing attackers to pivot from non-critical endpoints to highly sensitive areas without restrictions or alerts.
  
  
• Shared files and tools also widen the attack surface. Researchers frequently exchange files, use external tools, and rely on cloud services for faster progress, increasing the chances of compromise.
  
  
• Researchers often prioritize productivity over security and may fall victim to sophisticated phishing or install software from unverified sources.
  
  
• APTs don’t cause noisy behavior or obvious disruptions. They use encrypted communications, fileless malware, legitimate process exploitation, and native administrative tools (like PowerShell or WMI) to blend into the environment.
  
  
• Even after a system reset or network reconfiguration, APTs typically retain access through backdoors, remote access tools, or compromised credentials that survive initial remediation efforts.

Common APT attack phases in connected laboratories

APT attacks are methodical, stealthy, and progressive. Their main goal isn’t immediate damage but long-term stealth, data harvesting, and critical infrastructure compromise. Here are the most common phases in a typical APT campaign targeting connected research labs:

1. Reconnaissance: Mapping the scientific environment

Attackers gather detailed information about the target environment using open-source intelligence (OSINT) or advanced scanning tools to identify:

• Internet-exposed endpoints lacking proper security
  
  
• Leaked credentials from repositories, forums, or past breaches
  
  
• Misconfigured VPNs or those lacking multi-factor authentication
  
  
• Vulnerable institutional domains and subdomains
  
  

This phase can last weeks as attackers build a thorough understanding of the infrastructure.

2. Initial infiltration: Entry into the R&D environment

Initial access is typically gained through stealthy, targeted techniques such as:

• Highly targeted spear phishing emails to key researchers or technicians, posing as scientific grant announcements, international collaborations, or academic publications
  
  
• Exploiting vulnerabilities in lab equipment like spectrometers, electron microscopes, or other IoT devices with unpatched or outdated systems
  
  
• Remote access via compromised credentials obtained from leaks or brute-force attacks on RDP, SSH, or internal web apps
  
  

Once access is secured, the attacker establishes a foothold in the system.

3. Lateral Movement: Controlled network expansion

From the initial entry point, the attacker moves laterally through the internal network using legitimate system tools to avoid detection:

• Privilege escalation to gain administrator access
  
  
• Internal network and resource enumeration
  
  
• Accessing file servers, workstations, and experimental data systems
  
  
• Compromising systems storing intellectual property, source code, or research results

The goal is to gain control and persistence in critical systems without triggering alerts.

4. Data Exfiltration: stealthy information theft

Once valuable data is identified, attackers begin extraction using techniques such as:

• Compressing and encrypting large volumes of scientific data (e.g., simulation results, biomedical datasets, engineering designs)
  
  
• Using encrypted channels or legitimate cloud services (like Dropbox or Google Drive) to evade detection systems
  
  
• Concealed communication tunnels such as DNS tunneling or HTTPS disguised as normal academic traffic

Many APTs can exfiltrate data for months without detection, harming the institution’s competitiveness and intellectual property.

5. Persistence: Long-Term control maintenance

The final phase ensures the attacker can return or maintain access even if part of the intrusion is detected:

• Installing custom backdoors or rootkits
  
  
• Creating hidden accounts or malicious scheduled tasks
  
  
• Using legitimate software like TeamViewer, AnyDesk, or PowerShell for covert reconnections
  
  
• Distributed control: accessing through multiple vectors to avoid reliance on a single entry point

This persistence makes APTs a continuous threat, able to adapt and resist standard remediation.

How to protect connected laboratories from APTs

Connected R&D environments, university labs, tech centers, scientific innovation hubs, are top priorities for APT groups due to the strategic value of the information they manage.

To confront these advanced threats, traditional cybersecurity solutions are not enough. A tailored strategy is needed, one that includes contextual detection technologies, operational best practices, and full visibility into the digital ecosystem.

Key measures to protect connected labs from APTs:

1. Network segmentation and access control

A flat, open network is ideal for an attacker. To mitigate risk:

• Implement microsegmentation
  Isolate scientific equipment from corporate and internet traffic
  
  
• Use VLANs, internal firewalls, and access control lists (ACLs)
  
  
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
  Define who can access what resources
  Minimize administrative privileges
  
  
• Enforce Mandatory Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  For all remote access, VPNs, and critical services

2. Continuous monitoring and behavior-based detection

• Advanced Detection Systems (EDR/XDR/UEBA)
  Detect anomalous behaviors (e.g., suspicious script execution, lateral movement, privilege escalation)
  EDR or UEBA solutions help identify APT activity patterns, even when the malware is unknown
  
  
• SIEM with Scientific Context
  Integrate lab security events, logs, network traffic, and administrative actions
  Context is key to distinguishing legitimate from malicious activity
  
  
• Monitoring of Scientific Devices
  Specifically monitor lab equipment traffic and behavior (microscopes, data acquisition stations, etc.) that may act as non-traditional attack vectors

3. Vulnerability and patch management

• Detailed Asset Inventory
  Know every system connected to the lab, even embedded devices or experimental hardware
  
  
• Regular Patch Application
  Apply security updates to lab equipment whenever possible
  For unpatchable systems, implement compensatory controls such as isolation or dedicated firewalls
  
  
• Secure Configuration Analysis
  Audit device configurations according to standards like CIS Benchmarks

4. Strengthening the human factor

• Targeted R&D Training
  Train researchers, technicians, and support staff in:
  
  
  • Recognizing targeted phishing
    
    
  • Best practices for using external software
    
    
  • Risks of sharing data without validation
    
    
• Integrated Security Culture
  Promote a mindset where security doesn't hinder innovation, it protects it

5. Incident response peparedness

• Response Plan Tailored to R&D Environments
  Create protocols that consider critical experiment timelines, data availability, and scientific infrastructure
  
  
• Regular Simulations
  Conduct controlled penetration tests (red teaming) and incident drills to assess APT detection and containment capabilities
  
  
• Immutable Backups
  Maintain secure, encrypted, air-gapped backups to recover experimental data in case of exfiltration or sabotage

ESED’s key recommendations for R&D environments

• Audit the full tech inventory, including connected scientific equipment
  
  
• Regularly assess vulnerabilities and apply tailored hardening
  
  
• Educate scientific staff on cybersecurity applied to their workflows
  
  
• Deploy specific APT detection and containment solutions
  
  
• Collaborate with expert teams that understand both science and security

Scientific research is a strategic asset. Protecting connected laboratories from advanced persistent threats is not just an IT concern, it’s a matter of sovereignty, competitiveness, and ethics.

At ESED, we combine deep expertise in advanced cybersecurity with practical experience in highly sensitive environments. Our mission is to help you keep your research infrastructure secure, operational, and ready for any threat.