When we think of wars in recent American history, the World Wars come to mind, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War. Each subsequent conflict resulted in fewer and fewer deaths. The logical conclusion must be that the human race is getting more peaceful and civil with time, right? If direct human casualties is your only measure, then yes, perhaps we have evolved. You may also want to consider that as the toll of traditional wars has declined, silent wars have steadily grown in sophistication and impact. Historians generally recognize that the Cold War began in the aftermath of World War II and eventually ran its course around the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. But it’s far from over. We are in a Second Cold War now. With the rise of the internet, connectivity, and global supply chains, the stakes have gotten extremely high. And with hacks, breaches, and misinformation being spread each and every day, though it’s difficult to directly tie a great many casualties to this war, make no mistake that our systems — and your global supply chain — is under constant threat every day.

Where do we begin in securing the supply chain? First, we recognize that attacks often take advantage of the sophisticated, disparate systems that come together to form the supply chain. It’s difficult to maintain airtight security throughout a system is composed of a myriad of outside partners and third-party vendors. The supply chain often relies on an honor code that all participants do their best to secure their cog in the clockwork. However, as cliché as it sounds, the chain of trust is only as strong as its weakest link. Set in a global network that includes partners from many countries with varying laws and regulations makes it nearly impossible to regulate adequately.