Supply chains are so often taken for granted. They’re a piece of the background, a necessary cog in the machine that keeps a business running. However, this is not always the case. One of the most common types of cyber attack is the B2B supply chain attack. It can range from a small-scale and localized attack to something that has a global reach.
The costs of these attacks are astronomical, and it’s not just businesses that suffer. A B2B supply chain attack can cost countries billions of dollars. In order to keep your business safe from these risks, it’s important to be aware of the ways that these attacks occur and what you can do to mitigate them.
Common Attack Vectors in B2B Supply Chains
In supply chain attacks, the criminals will find security flaws in supply vendors that have their systems connected to the whale targets. This is a very common way in because smaller vendors tend to be laxer on security. These attacks often only require the connection between the two parties for the attack to take place.
Social engineering
This is when an attacker relies on human interaction to get the information they need. Phishing emails, for example, are a form of social engineering as they rely on deception rather than technology.
Password theft is the most common threat associated with this type of attack. It’s a good reason for your business to use a strong password manager for small teams so that your passwords can’t be stolen by a socially engineered attack.
DNS Cache Poisoning
This is when attackers change the DNS settings for a domain name server (DNS) so that it directs traffic away from the correct destination. Businesses that are misconfigured for their domain names or web applications are most likely to be impacted by this type of attack.
Cross-site scripting (XSS)
This is when there’s code injected into vulnerable web applications, which can allow attackers to execute malicious scripts against users of the site. The malicious code can extract data from websites, including authentication cookies and credentials. This is not a type of attack that typically targets business-to-business transactions, but it can impact businesses of all sizes.
Preventative Measures in Combating B2B Supply Chain Attacks
So how do businesses prevent the threats posed by these attacks? The most important thing that you can do is to follow the tips below.
Implement endpoint monitoring to detect malicious activity
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) platforms check logs from endpoints, networks, and clouds, helping to provide deep visibility into and enable timely responses to activities that may indicate malicious activity.
Any IoT device connected to your network could be considered an endpoint, and that’s why it’s crucial your EDR platform offers a comprehensive set of options that can handle a wide variety of IoT devices and security threats, and not just those targeting traditional endpoint devices such as PCs and servers.
Due to the interconnectedness of software supply chains, EDR solutions play a vital role in detecting anomalies and detecting unusual behaviors that can signify the presence of a cyber-attack or suspicious activity.
Have a process for patching critical vulnerabilities in your networks
Small vendor chains are often lax when it comes to looking at vulnerabilities in their systems, so an audit is needed. Your auditors need to be on hand to help identify vulnerabilities as soon as critical system updates are made. Your auditors should also be available in a secondary location to minimize the risk of an attack.
Make sure you have a chain of responsibility for security
Companies should put someone in charge of being responsible for securing their supply chain so that you can reduce the risk of your organization becoming a target.
In addition, when you’re looking for a supply chain management solution, you should make sure that it works with the supplier that your company uses and that you are not working with someone that is untrustworthy.
Keep on top of software updates
If you are using certain software on your IT systems, make sure you are on the latest version to ensure that your system is secure. Older software often contains vulnerabilities that have been fixed in newer versions.
Listen to industry leaders
When you work with industry experts, they will be able to point out any vulnerabilities and tell you what you need to do about them. Many experts in this field have talked about what they see as the biggest threats, so it is worth listening to what they have to say.
