Security in the Supply Chain

Where are you in the Supply Chain? Are you at the front or the back of a long chain of suppliers? Or are you somewhere in the middle?

Supply chains present all sorts of risk — to delivery of your product or service, to your health and safety performance, to your profitability, and to your security (both physical and information related). Wherever you fit, your business needs to understand the risks presented by that supply chain, including those associated with information and cyber security.

Suppliers to government or large infrastructure (think telecommunications and hospitals) may be impacted by proposed updates to the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act (SOCI Act), as they are required to uplift their risk management programs and systems. This is not just about upgrading IT systems (though that may be necessary), it is also about building in organisational processes that meet requirements. For example, project managers should consider information security risks and obligations at the planning stage, and CEOs should routinely be asking for reports on information security.

Businesses ahead of the curve are winning contracts?

This is a rapidly changing field, and as fast as technology improves, the criminals seem to follow. Even small businesses are required to prove they have robust systems in place if they wish to compete in some supply chains. Businesses who are ahead of the curve are winning the contracts, because customers want assurance they can rely on their suppliers.?

If you’re a business owner, CEO or director and you’re not yet thinking about your information security you might be left behind. If you’re relying on your IT person to sort it out, you’re potentially ignoring half the risk and half the solution. Perhaps it’s time to move to the front in the Supply Chain.

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