Behind each headline of a supply chain attack are organizations and victims facing the consequences of a brutal infiltration.
Equipped with automated tools, hackers can hunt through cloud-native applications, public code repositories, unprotected networks and more, without even paying much attention to their computers.
The goal is to launch a supply chain attack — an ambush on vulnerabilities in the software development lifecycle that taints individual components and code libraries. A successful attack exposes the organization itself, third-party vendors and customers to data leaks, financial damage and reputational disasters.
Just as cybersecurity strategies constantly evolve, hackers shift their tactics, too. Malicious actors keep their eye on the prize, identifying specific targets for supply chains that harbor valuable data or act as the gateway to other vendors. The Q3 2023 Evolution of Software Supply Chain Security Report found a 47.4% increase in malicious packages targeting specific businesses. Strategies included:
The headlines speak volumes. Following are five of the most serious attacks of the last five years.
SolarWinds. The name of this network-management business has become almost synonymous with “supply chain attack.” In December, 2020, a hack resulted in a data breach affecting 18,000 customers, including government agencies. After an extensive investigation, the cause was revealed to be malicious code added to an update for SolarWinds’ Orion software. It happened so early in the chain that it went undetected in verification and validation checks.
The goal is to avoid having a single point of failure in your software development lifecycle (SDLC) that might enable unauthorized access or unwanted attention. Thankfully, with the comprehensive automation tools available on the market, developers can become increasingly more comfortable knowing that their supply chains are secure.
Dotan Nahum is head of developer-first security at Check Point Software Technologies.
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