As organizations increasingly integrate open-source components into their application infrastructures, relying solely on traditional Software Composition Analysis (SCA) tools for security against open-source threats proves inadequate. Open-source libraries expedite development by reducing coding and debugging time; however, as these libraries accumulate in codebases, organizations must recognize the comprehensive attack surface they create. This includes understanding potential vulnerabilities not just in the code itself but also within the supply chain when selecting an SCA platform.
The Impact of One Dependency
The addition of an open-source library to an application often brings along a suite of other libraries, which are required to support the main library. Open-source components typically prioritize rapid delivery, creating a web of dependencies that can lead to security weaknesses. When a developer integrates package A, which in turn utilizes package B, the project implicitly depends on the security of package B. If a vulnerability exists within package B, then the entire project becomes susceptible to risks associated with it. This scenario underscores why awareness of dependencies is crucial and laid the groundwork for the rise of SCA platforms that help identify such vulnerabilities.
However, while SCAs may effectively flag known vulnerabilities, they do not address supply chain attacks, a growing threat that poses significant risks to organizations.
Supply Chain Security Best Practices Cheat Sheet
The frequency of software supply chain attacks is escalating rapidly. Gartner has projected that by 2025, 45% of organizations will fall victim to such attacks. Conventional SCA tools are insufficient against this emerging threat, and prompt action is essential for security.
To help business owners navigate this risk landscape, we offer a cheat sheet detailing five critical types of supply chain attacks, alongside 14 recommended best practices for defense.
Attacks vs. Vulnerabilities
It is important to understand the distinction between vulnerabilities and attacks. Vulnerabilities often arise from unintentional errors and are typically cataloged in Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) databases, allowing organizations to proactively mitigate risks. For example, Log4Shell represents a known vulnerability that can be patched once identified.
Conversely, supply chain attacks involve intentional and malicious actions, often lacking CVE identifiers and remaining untracked in conventional databases. A notable instance is SolarWinds, where adversaries executed a sophisticated supply chain attack to exploit weaknesses within an organization’s software ecosystem.
Unknown risks, by their very nature, constitute supply chain attacks that evade detection by standard SCA tools. This vulnerability to undetected threats emphasizes the limitations of relying solely on these tools for security.
SCA Tools Are Not Sufficient
While SCA tools may seem like a viable line of defense against supply chain risks, they fail to protect organizations from unknown risks that encompass significant supply chain attacks. This inadequacy highlights the need for a proactive strategy to address both known and unknown threats in a continuously evolving supply chain landscape.
Organizations must adopt a new perspective to effectively mitigate these risks. A comprehensive guide offers insights into the known and unknown vulnerabilities present in supply chains while providing a valuable reference for understanding supply chain risks and how to manage them effectively.
