By Chuck Brooks, president of Brooks Consulting International
In the current digital environment, supply chains are essential to national security, vital infrastructure and international trade. They have, however, also emerged as one of the most often used attack methods in cybersecurity. Cybercriminals using ransomware to attack third-party vendors or nation-state actors inserting backdoors in software updates are just two examples of how supply chain breaches may quickly spread throughout entire economies, governments and industries.
High-profile events such as the Colonial Pipeline attack and the SolarWinds leak have severely exposed the vulnerabilities. Supply chain cyberattacks are carried out by nation-state adversaries, espionage operators, criminals, or hacktivists to compromise contractors, systems, businesses and suppliers through the weakest links. These assaults frequently succeed by taking advantage of suppliers’ lax security procedures, utilizing insider threats, or installing tampered or fake hardware and software.
Third-party involvement in breaches as hackers increasingly infiltrate managed services, software upgrades and vendors in order to get around essential safeguards. The scope of the issue is highlighted by recent statistics. Nearly 90% of IT professionals surveyed feel their software supply chains pose significant risks and more than 70% believe that current application security technologies are insufficient.
As cyber risks grow with the use of AI and other emerging technologies, stakeholders from across government and industry will gather next month to discuss the future of artificial intelligence. The Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit, set for March 18, will feature discussions on AI innovation and implementation. Register today to secure your seat.
The Particularly Dangerous Nature of Supply Chains
Due to their inherent complexity, supply chains frequently span continents and legal jurisdictions and involve several levels of suppliers, contractors and partners. Every link presents possible avenues of entry, including outdated systems lacking contemporary security measures, untested third-party code, Internet of Things devices with inadequate authentication and 5G-enabled connectivity that greatly increases the attack surface.
Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, 5G, the Internet of Things and quantum computing are both risks and benefits, as my book Inside Cyber explains. On the one hand, they increase efficiency by using hyper-connected operations, predictive maintenance and real-time analytics. Conversely, they pose fresh dangers:
• IoT and 5G: If billions of connected devices in manufacturing, logistics and smart infrastructure are not appropriately divided and guarded, they turn become access points.
Adversaries utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning to create polymorphic malware, automate phishing and find vulnerabilities before defenders can fix them.
• Quantum Computing: The threat of “Q-Day” to existing encryption standards might expose transaction records, intellectual property and sensitive supply chain data.
More vulnerabilities were revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic, including a disruption in safe sourcing, an excessive dependence on a single provider and the cybersecurity consequences of rapid digital transformation under duress. In today’s hyperconnected environment, trust in partners is much too frequently greater than their verification.
Reactions from the Government and Industry: Advancements and Deficits
Every government in the world understands the strategic necessity. The 2019 Presidential Executive Order on Securing Information and Communications Technology Supply Chains was a significant change in the United States. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Department of Defense have advanced programs such as the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification and the Department of Homeland Security has released requests for information on Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management.
According to third-party frameworks offered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, companies should prioritize suppliers and third parties, identify and evaluate supply chain risks with stakeholders, include risk management in contracts, conduct frequent audits and testing and develop response and recovery capabilities.
Particularly in response to executive directives, software bill of materials, or SBOMs, a clear inventory of software components, have become an essential instrument for visibility and risk reduction. Since the private sector accounts for the bulk of important supply chain vendors, public-private partnerships are still crucial.
However, difficulties still exist. Many businesses still don’t have complete visibility into supply chains with multiple tiers. Legacy systems are resistant to change. Compliance is made more difficult by cross-border regulatory fragmentation. Additionally, traditional risk management techniques cannot keep up with the rate of technology advancement.
Useful Techniques for Cyber Supply Chain Security
The following is a practical road map:
1. Put in place a thorough risk management framework
Adopt NIST or comparable standards to have visibility from beginning to end. Determine legacy vulnerabilities, map your supply chain and rank high-risk third parties. Consider each and every vendor as a possible source of risk.
2. Adopt Advanced Technologies and Zero Trust
Spread the idea of “zero trust” throughout supply chains, meaning that no user, gadget, or provider should be implicitly trusted. Implement identity and access management, continuous monitoring, security information and event management, encryption and Data Loss Prevention. AI-powered solutions can facilitate automated threat response and real-time anomaly identification.
3. Demand Openness and Responsibility
In vendor agreements, include requirements for SBOMs, contractual security duties and frequent audits. Perform supply chain attack simulations using red-team exercises and penetration testing. When feasible, diversify your sources to cut down on single points of failure.
4. Use New Technologies to Your Advantage in Defense
For self-healing systems, predictive analytics and horizon scanning, use AI and machine learning. Now is the time to get ready for quantum-resistant cryptography—post-quantum migration is now required.
5. Encourage Teamwork and Adaptability
Public-private information exchange should be strengthened. Take part in ISACs tailored to your sector. In particular, test incident response and business continuity plans for supply chain interruptions. Put “achieve rapid recovery and maintain stakeholder trust” ahead of “prevent all attacks.”
6. Board-Level Management
Supply chain cyber risk requires the same level of board and C-suite attention as financial controls in 2026 and beyond. More stringent rules, audits and insurance requirements are to be expected. In the future, organizations will be evaluated more on how swiftly they restore operations and safeguard customers than on whether they experience an assault.
Towards the Future: The New Imperative of Resilience
AI, 5G, IoT, quantum and global supply chains are all coming together to change defenses and threats. These technologies will change business models, privacy and security, but only if we take proactive measures to control the threats.
Improvements in intelligence and planning have made Black Swan occurrences, such as significant supply chain breaches, more predictable. Firms that view cybersecurity as a strategic enabler of innovation and resilience rather than as a cost center will prosper.
The message is unmistakable: supply chain security is key to competitive advantage, economic stability and national security in today’s interconnected world. By making investments in people, procedures, technology and innovation now, we can transform vulnerability into strength later on.
Maintain your vigilance, educate yourself and create robust resilience mechanisms. It is essential to cybersecurity’s future.
