Blog By

Angela Violet,

Cybersecurity & IT Risks Associate (CITRA)

South-End Tech Limited

In the fantasy world of Greek mythology, the Hydra was a giant snake with multiple poisonous heads. Every time one head was cut off, two new ones grew, making the Hydra a seemingly invincible foe. The current threat of supply chain attacks bears a disturbing similarity to this mythical creature. These attacks exploit the complex relationships within the ‘supply chain’, the network of interconnected organizations that deliver products and services from raw materials to the end consumer. Unlike traditional cyber-attacks that directly target companies, supply chain attacks attack seemingly unimportant suppliers and partners to gain a foothold into this trusted ecosystem. This initial compromise serves as the first severed head of the hydra, granting access to the entire target network. From here, attackers can steal sensitive data, disrupt critical operations, or launch additional attacks within the organization, all while remaining largely undetected due to the inherent trust placed in third-party partners. The attractiveness of supply chain attacks to malicious actors stems from several key factors:

 Growing attack surface:

The modern business environment is characterized by an increasing reliance on ‘third-party providers.’ From software development and cloud services to manufacturing and logistics, companies are outsourcing tasks and services at an unprecedented rate. This approach increases efficiency and reduces costs, but it also creates a vast network of potential entry points for attackers. If even one supplier in the supply chain has weak security protocols, this becomes a vulnerability that can be exploited by malicious attackers.

 Hidden Vulnerabilities in the Software Supply Chain:

Software development is rarely a solitary task these days.

 Modern applications often rely heavily on open-source libraries and pre-built code from third-party sources. This collaborative approach accelerates development, but it also leads to hidden vulnerabilities.  Malicious attackers can exploit these dependencies by introducing vulnerabilities in widely used libraries. This infection can then spread like wildfire, affecting all software applications that use the compromised code. A single line of malicious code embedded in a base library can have a devastating impact on countless applications and organizations.

 Innovative Attack Techniques:

Cybercriminals are a relentless and adaptive species. As traditional cyber defenses become more sophisticated, attackers continue to develop new techniques to exploit vulnerabilities. Supply chain attacks provide an advanced way to circumvent a company’s robust security measures by targeting less secure (and often overlooked) suppliers in the supply chain ecosystem. The element of surprise and the inherent trust in third-party partners make these attacks especially dangerous.

 A successful supply chain attack can have devastating consequences.

 Recent events are a stark reminder of the potential damage:

SolarWinds Supply Chain Attack (2020):

This massive attack penetrated a software company called SolarWinds, a trusted provider of network management software. Hackers managed to inject malicious code into a widely used SolarWinds product and gain access to the systems of thousands of customers, including government agencies and critical infrastructure providers. The scale and sophistication of this attack exposed a huge vulnerability in the software supply chain.

 Kaseya Supply Chain Attack (2021):

 This ransomware attacks targeted Kaseya, a company whose software is used for remote monitoring and management (RMM) of IT systems. The attack compromised Kaseya’s software, allowing attackers to deploy ransomware on the networks of thousands of Kaseya customers. The incident highlighted the cascading effects that a supply chain attack can have, disrupting a company’s operations.

So how can we defeat the ever-growing hydra of supply chain attacks?

 While complete eradication may be illusory, there are steps companies can take to mitigate the risk: Supplier Due Diligence:

Before partnering with a third party, a thorough security assessment is paramount. This assessment should evaluate the provider’s cybersecurity posture, including security practices, incident response plans and penetration testing procedures. Understanding the provider’s approach to security will help you make an informed decision about how much trust and access to grant to the provider.

 Third-Party Risk Management:

Companies should develop a comprehensive third-party risk management program. The program should include a strategy for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with supplier relationships. By proactively managing these risks, companies can significantly reduce their vulnerability to supply chain attacks.

 Software Composition Analysis (SCA):

The adoption of SCA tools can be an effective defense against software supply chain vulnerabilities. These tools can identify open-source libraries and third-party code used in your software and compare them against a database of known vulnerabilities. Proactively addressing these vulnerabilities can prevent them from becoming an entry point for attackers.

 Continuous Vigilance:

 The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving, and so is our approach to it.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for your Cybersecurity and Data Protection Solutions and Service needs on the telephone at +254115867309 +254721864169; +254740196519; +254115867309 or email.

aviolet@southendtech.co.ke; cybersecurity@southendtech.co.ke or  info@southendtech.co.ke