Third-Party & Supply Chain

A recent data breach at a UK military contractor has once again highlighted the risks associated with legacy systems and third-party vendors. The breach, attributed to the LockBit ransomware group, compromised a Windows 7 computer at the industrial operations of Zaun, a Wolverhampton-based company specializing in the design and manufacturing of mesh fencing systems used to secure UK military bases and intelligence sites.

The legacy of Yellow's shutdown and its Impact on the freight industry, the market, and supply chains as a whole, in the midst of what looks to be a historically slow year for the shipping business.

The United Kingdom's largest regional police force, the Metropolitan Police, known as "The Met," is grappling with the aftermath of a supply chain cyber attack that has once again highlighted the significant vulnerabilities posed by third-party vendors in the realm of cybersecurity.

Procurement and supply chain teams are being urged to reconsider their approach to category management, as it evolves from a mere administrative function to a strategic opportunity for identifying risks and gaining competitive advantages. In a recent whitepaper released by German software giant SAP, three common mistakes in procurement category management are highlighted, along with recommendations for improvement.

The recent implementation of new cybersecurity incident disclosure requirements by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has placed third-party cyber risk squarely in the spotlight. These new regulations underscore the materiality of third-party cyber risk, emphasizing its significance as a business risk. The SEC's final rule acknowledges that a substantial number of organizations, approximately 98%, rely on third-party vendors that have suffered breaches within the last two years.

In a new development aimed at eradicating U.S. connections to forced labor within Chinese supply chains, electric-vehicle batteries and other automotive components have become the latest targets for scrutiny by U.S. authorities. According to a document seen by Reuters, as well as agency statistics and sources, the enforcement of a year-old U.S. law barring the import of goods produced in Xinjiang, China, has expanded its focus beyond its initial areas of concern, which included solar panels, tomatoes, and cotton apparel.

Recent research underscores the mounting concerns of retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) executives, with supply chain disruption ranking among their foremost fears. The study, a collaboration between professional services firm Genpact and research organization HFS, exposes the industry's struggle to keep pace with supply challenges, revealing that a mere 22% believe they have successfully modernized order-management operations.