Supply Chain Attacks
A supply chain attack is a type of cyberattack that targets a company's suppliers or partners. The goal of a supply chain attack is to gain access to the company's systems or data through a third party.
Supply chain attacks are becoming increasingly common, as attackers are realizing that it can be easier to target a company's suppliers or partners than the company itself. This is because suppliers and partners may have less sophisticated security measures in place.
There are a number of different ways that attackers can launch supply chain attacks. For example, an attacker might:
Compromise a supplier's software or hardware, and then use that compromise to gain access to the company's systems.
Send phishing emails to employees of suppliers or partners, in an attempt to trick them into revealing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links.
Exploit vulnerabilities in the software or hardware of suppliers or partners, in order to gain access to the company's systems.
How to protect yourself from supply chain attacks:
There are a number of things that companies can do to protect themselves from supply chain attacks, including:
Conduct risk assessments of their suppliers and partners. This will help to identify potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.
Require suppliers and partners to meet certain security standards. This could include requirements for using strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and firewalls.
Monitor the security posture of their suppliers and partners on an ongoing basis. This will help to identify any changes that could make them more vulnerable to attack.
Have a plan in place for responding to supply chain attacks. This plan should include steps for isolating the affected systems, investigating the attack, and recovering from the attack.
Examples of supply chain attacks:
Some notable examples of supply chain attacks include:
The 2013 Target data breach: This attack was carried out by hackers who compromised the systems of a third-party software vendor that Target used. The attackers were able to steal the credit card information of millions of Target customers.
The 2017 SolarWinds hack: This attack targeted the software supply chain of SolarWinds, a company that provides IT monitoring and management software. The attackers were able to compromise SolarWinds' Orion software, and then use that compromise to gain access to the systems of thousands of SolarWinds customers, including the US government and Fortune 500 companies.
The 2021 Kaseya ransomware attack: This attack targeted the software supply chain of Kaseya, a company that provides IT management software. The attackers were able to encrypt the data of thousands of Kaseya customers, and demanded a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption key.
Supply chain attacks are a serious threat to businesses of all sizes. By taking steps to protect yourself, you can reduce your risk of becoming a victim.
Author: Mian Ashfaq
