April is National Supply Chain Integrity Month, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a call to action to strengthen companies’ supply chains. As many NTCA members are likely aware, a supply chain is a complicated network that requires special attention because companies source products from suppliers who might source products from others as well. When any part is exposed to risk, the entire network may become vulnerable to a cyber incident.
According to Deloitte, 40% of manufacturers had their operations affected by a cyber incident in 2019. CISA is kicking off the first week of National Supply Chain Integrity Month with Building Collective Supply Chain Resilience by encouraging companies to use the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) Task Force’s products and tools to strengthen their overall security posture.
Below are a few ICT SCRM Task Force resources NTCA members can use to strengthen network supply chain resilience:
- ICT SCRM Essentials: A guide with actionable steps on how to start implementing organizational SCRM practices.
- ICT SCRM Fact Sheet: A quick reference guide that can be used to raise awareness of ICT supply chain risks.
- ICT SCRM Task Force Interim Report: A report that describes the work of the ICT SCRM Task Force over the past year.
- ICT SCRM Task Force: Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A report examining how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the logistical supply chains of ICT companies that provides recommendations on how organizations can increase their supply chain resilience from future risks.
The pandemic has exposed new vulnerabilities, and it is important to be cognizant of your supply chain, both in terms of ensuring your company has enough equipment on hand to make repairs and expand to new locations, as well as guarding against cyber threats. Visit CISA’s website to learn more about how the agency enhances supply chain resiliency and to view additional resources.