Solution review Contributed content series is a collection of contributed articles written by thought leaders in the enterprise software category. Cyware's Jason Keirstead introduces collective supplier defense and why companies should incorporate it into their strategies.
We have all become very aware of the challenges and risks that cyber threats pose to organizations and their supply chains. We also know that our organization is only as secure as our suppliers. Although supply chain vulnerabilities have been in the spotlight, the actual problem area is more complex than that. Therefore, the scope of the problem should be expanded to: Overall security posture Suppliers will almost certainly vary in their cybersecurity maturity and capabilities.
- How can you ensure your suppliers are properly protected and aligned with cybersecurity standards and goals?
- How can you leverage the collective knowledge and resources of your supply chain to strengthen your cybersecurity posture and resilience?
The answer is collective defense of suppliers. Collective defense of suppliers This is an approach that goes beyond just considering vulnerability risks. It aims to strengthen the cybersecurity posture of both large companies and their suppliers by sharing information and best practices across the supply chain. Let's take a closer look at what collective supplier protection is, why it's essential, and how it can be implemented using existing standards and technology.
Supplier Collective Defense: A New Approach to Cybersecurity
The “what” and “why” of supplier collective defense
Supplier security is one of the most important aspects of the supply chain. Suppliers are often responsible for implementing and maintaining the IT systems and processes that support an organization's operations. It also provides access to sensitive and proprietary information that an attacker could exploit. Therefore, suppliers must implement effective cybersecurity controls to protect not only their customers, but also their own systems and data. However, these organizations may lack the resources, expertise, and awareness to implement appropriate cybersecurity measures. You may also face challenges in responding to an evolving threat landscape and complying with various standards and regulations. As a result, they become more susceptible to cyber-attacks, which can impact not only their own operations but also those of their customers.
This is where supplier collective defense comes into play. Collective supplier defense is an approach aimed at strengthening the cybersecurity posture of both large companies and their suppliers by sharing information and best practices across the supply chain. Working together as a team against common threats can provide greater resiliency and security than either side could do individually. A rising tide lifts all ships, right?
Supplier collective defense has several benefits for both large companies and their suppliers. Among them it is:
- Reduce the risk of supply chain disruption due to cyber attacks. By sharing threat intelligence findings, detection rules, incident response plans, and other defensive information with suppliers in real-time or near real-time, large enterprises can identify potential attacks before cybercriminals can cause significant damage. We can help you detect and mitigate it.
- Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your cybersecurity operations. By leveraging each other's resources, large companies can help suppliers access tools, training, guidance, and support they otherwise wouldn't have access to. This allows you to improve your skills, abilities, performance and compliance.
- Foster trust and collaboration between large companies and their suppliers. Large companies help suppliers understand their expectations and requirements by sharing information openly and transparently. This helps build stronger relationships based on mutual respect and cooperation.
practical application
One example of how collective supplier defense can level up your vendor supply chain is by leveraging sigma formats to share detection rules. Sharing detection rules in this way enables consistent, scalable and interoperable cyber threat detection across different log sources and his SIEM systems, ensuring supply chain security. Sigma is a general-purpose, open signature format that allows users to describe relevant log events in an easy way. Sigma allows enterprise SOCs to share detection rules with suppliers in a machine-readable and vendor-neutral way, so they can apply the same detection logic to their own log data. This enables suppliers to identify and respond to potential attacks more quickly and effectively, reducing the risk of supply chain compromise.
Sigma also helps enterprise SOCs improve their own threat visibility and response coverage by leveraging detection rules developed by other sources such as ISAC, ISAO, and open repositories. It also complements the use of existing standards such as OASIS STIX. TAXII exchanges threat intelligence information and enhances collaboration and coordination between enterprise SOCs and suppliers.
Leverage tested and trusted collaboration
Collective defense of suppliers is not a new concept, but rather an extension and adaptation of existing practices and frameworks pioneered by ISAC and ISAO. These two-way threat intelligence sharing organizations have demonstrated the value and feasibility of sharing cyber threat information and best practices among trusted partners and communities. By applying the same principles and mechanisms to their supply chains, large enterprises and their suppliers can strengthen their cybersecurity posture and resilience while reducing the risk of supply chain disruption due to cyberattacks.
Collective defense of suppliers is not just a technical solution. It is also strategic and cultural. This requires a shift in mindset from viewing suppliers as potential liabilities to seeing them as valuable allies. It also requires a commitment to collaboration, coordination and communication across the supply chain. By employing collective supplier defense, organizations can gain a competitive edge in the marketplace while ensuring business continuity during a crisis.
