What are Supply Chain Attacks?

Supply chain attacks are a major cyber threat facing organisations. These attacks can cause far-reaching and costly disruption, as they exploit vulnerabilities in a supplier's systems to gain access to a customer's network of contacts. 

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in cyber attacks resulting from vulnerabilities within supply chains. This includes many high-profile incidents such as the SolarWinds attack or the 2023 3CX Desktop Software Attack which were both caused by attacks that originated outside of their organisations.

Example: The SolarWinds Attack

Over recent years, cyber attacks exploiting vulnerabilities within supply chains have escalated, causing widespread and costly disruptions. The high-profile SolarWinds attack serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences.

The attack, which was discovered in late 2020, was a large-scale cyber espionage campaign that impacted numerous government agencies, businesses, and other businesses worldwide. Hackers infiltrated the IT infrastructure of organisations by compromising the software update mechanism of SolarWinds Orion, a widely used network management software. The compromised update served as a trojan horse that gave the attackers backdoor access to networks, allowing them to steal sensitive data. The sophisticated nature of the attack and its extensive reach across various sectors raised serious concerns about global cybersecurity infrastructure and strategies.

The Guidance 

Astonishingly, only just over one in ten businesses (13%) review the risks posed by their immediate suppliers, and the figure drops to a mere 7% for the wider supply chain. 

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has recently published new guidance to help organisations effectively assess and gain confidence in the cyber security of their supply chains. 

The National Cyber Security Centre reiterated that it is crucial for organisations to collaborate with their suppliers and establish robust security measures to safeguard against cyber security threats. The NCSC's guidance is specifically designed to help organisations effectively evaluate the cyber risks associated with their suppliers and gain confidence in existing mitigation measures. 

Ian McCormack, NCSC Deputy Director for Government Cyber Resilience, said: 

“Supply chain attacks are a major cyber threat facing organisations and incidents can have a profound, long-lasting impact on businesses and customers.
“With incidents on the rise, it is vital organisations work with their suppliers to identify supply chain risks and ensure appropriate security measures are in place." 

The guidance describes typical supplier relationships and potential weaknesses that might expose their supply chain to attacks. It also defines the expected outcomes and identifies key steps to help organisations assess their supply chain's security.

What TwentyFour IT Can Do 

TwentyFour IT can help businesses such as Manufactures & Logistics businesses protect themselves from supply chain cyber-attacks which they are known to be a target for attack. We offer a range of services, including: 

• Regular Cyber Security Assessments: We can assess your organisation's Cyber Security Posture and identify potential vulnerabilities. 
• Advanced Email Security: Ensure that all of your communications with suppliers are monitored for malicious content or signs of account takeover. 
• Managed Endpoint Detection & Response: Use machine learning to monitor for unusual, suspicious or malicious files or activity that traditional anti-virus would not be able to protect against. 
• Security Operations Centre: Our dedicated team can help your business to respond to a cyber attack, minimise the damage, and recover your operations as quickly as possible. It’s like having a 24-hour dedicated support team available to you. 

Contact Us 

To learn more about how TwentyFour IT can help you to protect your business from supply chain cyber attacks, contact us today.

We Are Here to Help 

We understand that the threat of cyber attacks can be daunting. That's why we're here to help you protect your business from the ever-evolving threats that businesses face. We have the expertise and experience to help you to assess your risks, implement best-in-class cyber security solutions, and respond quickly to a cyber attack if it occurs. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you to keep your business safe.