Supply chain comprises of the network of all the individuals, organizations, resources, activities, and technology involved in the creation and delivery of a product, component, or service. A supply chain attack exploits the weaker links in this network of entities to infiltrate a target organization. Attackers exploit trusted relationships and can potentially compromise multiple entities with a single breach. These attacks are sometimes referred to as value chain attacks or third-party software attacks.
Supply chain attacks may be perpetrated using different techniques. Attackers may compromise the components, utilities, or infrastructure that are used by the target organization for developing software applications. Devices like phones, Universal Serial Bus (USB) drives, cameras etc. maybe infested with malware. This is transmitted to the network of the target organization when they connect / use the affected devices. Firmware or software updates may also be affected with malicious code that gets transmitted to an organization’s network and systems. An attacker may steal genuine digital certificates, or create fake certificates, and use them to supply infected software components to the target organization.
Reports show that supply chain attacks are on the rise. According to ReversingLabs’ “State of Software Supply Chain Security 2024” report, supply chain attacks are increasing mostly due to the widespread use of open-source libraries. ReversingLabs reported that in 2023, there was 28% increase in the total number of malicious packages uploaded to open-source repositories, as compared to 2022. Some recent examples include the Octa attack in 2023, Panasonic attack in 2021, SolarWinds attack in 2020, Equifax attack in 2017 etc.
Impact
Supply chain attacks may cause data breaches and theft of intellectual property. These can result in significant financial losses for the affected organization.
Organizations may suffer from downtime and loss of productivity while recovering from a supply chain attack.
Such attacks may damage an organization’s brand image, leading to loss of customer base.
Breach of sensitive data may cause organizations to face litigations.
Supply chain attacks faced by critical sector organizations (defence, power, telecom etc.) can have severe implications for national security.
Controls
Organizations should implement a comprehensive security policy.
A robust third-party risk management process should be implemented.
Proper identity and access management must be implemented for critical networks. Access should only be granted on a need-to-know and need-to-use basis. Zero-trust security may be implemented.
The latest security patches and updated anti-malware should be installed in all systems.
Software updates should be tested in isolated environments before deploying them in production systems.
Periodic security assessments and audits should be conducted to detect and remove vulnerabilities in systems.
Users should be provided with continuous training about the risks associated with supply chain attacks and how to recognize potential threats.
How Sujosu Can Help
Sujosu Technology can help you identify areas of concern and assess your application and infrastructure security risk. Our consultants can suggest appropriate countermeasures and provide awareness / training to prevent, detect, identify, and recover from security attacks. Engage with us and remain cyber-secure.
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