Supply and Demand (for security)

2018 was the year that raised the alarm in earnest about potential vulnerabilities in the supply chain for enterprise computing systems. But with such diverse networks and widespread dependence on third parties, how can organizations expect to plug all potential leaks?  Karen Epper Hoffman reports.

It sounds like the stuff of a modern-day John LeCarre novel: The Chinese government asserting influence into the operations of hardware developer Super Micro Computer Inc. to spy on the enterprises to which Supermicro supplies computer chips.

First detailed in an early October Bloomberg Businessweek article, this story was quickly denied and recanted by several high-profile industry experts, including some of the 17 sources cited in the initial piece. However, this tale of seeming cyberspy intrigue along with similar stories in recent years have shown a spotlight on the vulnerabilities of the enterprise supply chain.