In recent years, the digital supply chain has become a prime target for attackers. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has expressed concerns about the vulnerabilities of devices that connect to the internet. This includes routers, switches, firewalls, VPNs, and remote management tools like SolarWinds. CISA issued a directive to federal departments and agencies to safeguard their information systems from potential attacks.
The SolarWinds hack in 2020 highlighted the fragility of the digital supply chain. Russian attackers compromised a software update, affecting thousands of organizations, including major US government departments. This incident demonstrated that threat actors can exploit vulnerabilities in third-party services to gain access to an organization’s environment.
CISA’s directive emphasizes the need for a new approach to threat protection in the interconnected digital supply chain. It is crucial to identify and separate signal from noise in the sprawling network of dependencies. The recent vulnerabilities in Progress Software’s managed file transfer solution, MOVEit, further illustrate the risks associated with relying on third-party services.
Automated tools play a vital role in discovering and assessing an organization’s attack surface. Manual processes are impractical and inefficient given the scale and dynamism of modern digital landscapes. Automation can uncover all domains, IP addresses, and cloud infrastructure related to a network or system. AI and ML algorithms can index the internet, identify vulnerabilities, and attribute them to specific assets.
Risk assessment is another crucial aspect of securing the digital supply chain. Automated assessment processes evaluate discovered assets against specific categories and identify risky connection vulnerabilities. Prioritization of threats is essential to avoid alert fatigue and focus on the most critical risks. Factors such as sensitive data access, business context, brand reputation, and operational impact help determine the priority of threats.
Mitigating risks in the digital supply chain requires a combination of technology and human processes. Technology helps collect and synthesize information, while human processes enable proactive decision-making and remediation actions. Intelligent workflows align remediation tasks with security operation procedures, ensuring efficient risk resolution.
In conclusion, securing the digital supply chain is a significant challenge for cybersecurity teams. The use of
Key points:
1. The digital supply chain is a prime target for attackers, and CISA has issued a directive to safeguard federal information systems.
2. The SolarWinds hack demonstrated the vulnerabilities of the digital supply chain and the risks associated with third-party services.
3. Automation is crucial for discovering and assessing an organization’s attack surface.
4. Risk assessment should prioritize threats based on potential damage to the business.
5. Mitigating risks requires a combination of technology and human processes.