A supply chain attack aims to exploit weaknesses in an organization's network of suppliers, vendors, and third-party entities rather than its internal IT infrastructure. Instead of directly attacking the target organization's IT systems, an adversary targets the less secure elements within its supply chain.
Here's an overview of how a supply chain attack works:
Selection of Target: Attackers identify a desirable target organization (e.g., a major corporation, government entity, or high-profile service provider).
Identify Weaker Links: Attackers perform reconnaissance to discover weaker links in the target's supply chain, including smaller vendors, contractors, or third-party software/service providers that may have less rigorous security measures.
Initial Breach: Attackers compromise one of these weaker links by hacking into their networks, installing malware, or even through insider threats.
Gaining Access: Once inside the supply chain, cybercriminals work to expand their access, either by moving laterally within the compromised vendor's system or by using that vendor's connections to approach the primary target.
Insertion of Malicious Code or Components: Modifying software or hardware components before they're delivered to the main target is common. One notable example is the SolarWinds attack, where cybercriminals inserted malicious code into an update for the SolarWinds Orion platform, a network management tool. When organizations installed the infected update, they unwittingly allowed the cybercriminals access to their systems.
Exfiltration or Sabotage: Once the attacker has a foothold in the primary target's systems, they might move to exfiltrate sensitive data, introduce further malware, or sabotage operations.
Maintaining Persistence: Many sophisticated supply chain attacks aim to remain undetected for as long as possible. Cybercriminals might establish backdoors, deploy rootkits, or utilize other techniques to maintain access.
Exit: After achieving their objectives, cybercriminals might attempt to cover their tracks, erasing logs or evidence of the breach.