Cyber Criminals Utilising Supply Chains to Access Businesses

Cyber criminals are becoming increasingly savvy when it comes to infiltrating businesses. They are now using supply chains as an easy way to gain access to valuable internal data and systems. This can be a major concern, especially for those working in industries that rely heavily on suppliers, like retail or public sector. In this Tech Blog post, we’ll discuss how cyber criminals are exploiting supply chains and how you can protect your business by making sure you’re working with trustworthy suppliers.

The One point can help you choose suppliers who you can trust, Cyber Essentials Certifications gives you the tools you need and can can help you reduce supplier due diligence processes from days to hours. For many, Cyber Essentials has a commercial benefit and is saving them money.

The Cyber Essentials scheme was set up by the UK Government in 2014 to encourage the widespread adoption of cyber security practices that are advanced enough to combat modern cyber threats.

How Cyber Criminals Are Exploiting Supply Chains

Cyber criminals have discovered that some of the best ways to gain access to businesses are through their suppliers. By gaining access to a supplier’s internal systems, they can easily find vulnerabilities that allow them to infiltrate their customer company’s core systems and gain access to sensitive data. This type of attack is known as a “supply chain attack” and it is becoming more common each year as cyber criminals become more sophisticated in their methods.

Can your IT Support provider even protect themselves?

Shockingly, some of these suppliers are IT Managed Service Providers (MSPs) themselves – meaning they provide IT services such as cloud hosting or network support. If the MSP does not have proper security measures in place, then attackers can use their access as an easy way into the company’s internal networks. This makes it even more important for companies to make sure they are working with reputable MSPs that have good security protocols in place.  

This issue has become so seriouse the government ageny, National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) are taking steps to impose tighter controls.

One of the most attractive parts about supply chains is the unprecedented access they provide to internal systems, making them the perfect door for malicious hackers looking to sneak in unnoticed. Criminals often target MSPs because they if have weak security measures in place  cybersecurity protection solutions they are a goldmine of opportunity. As a result, criminals are able to easily exploit vulnerabilities within an MSP’s network in order to gain access into a customers systems.

The One Point have what it takes

At The One Point we have worked hard to obtain the genuine trust marks of an organisation that is capable of offering top level support to customers.

Cyber Essentials Plus - Why is Cyber Security so important?

The One Point meets ISO 27001 Information Security Management System Standards.

What it means to be a Microsoft Gold Partner

Additionally we meet the requirements to be an NHS approved supplier and can be found on the G Cloud network for finding government approved suppliers for the Public Sector.

We are not just getting these accreditations due to crackdowns that require IT MSP's to be able to offer adaquate protection. but because we understand to we need to be ahead of the curve to serve our customers the best we can.

How To Protect Your Business From Supply Chain Attacks

The best way to protect your business from supply chain attacks is by doing due diligence when choosing your IT providers and making sure they have appropriate security measures in place. Make sure you do research on potential MSPs before committing – look for certifications such as ISO 27001 or Cyber Essentials Plus which demonstrate that the provider has stringent security measures in place and is committed to keeping customer data safe and secure at all times. Additionally, make sure that any contracts you sign include clauses about who will be responsible for any breaches caused by third-party vendors.  

Conclusion

Supply chain attacks present a serious risk for businesses of all sizes, so it’s important for companies to ensure they are taking steps to protect themselves from potential threats posed by malicious actors hiding within their own supply chains. Doing due diligence on potential IT providers and making sure they have appropriate security measures in place will help minimize the risk of a breach occurring via one of your third-party vendors. Trust marks such as ISO 27001 or Cyber Essentials Plus can also help identify reliable IT service providers who prioritize security above all else. By taking these steps, you can rest assured knowing that your business is protected against cyber criminals lurking within your own supply chain networks!

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