From cyber hackers to counterfeit products, phishing, ransomware and theft of intellectual property, agencies face significant cyber threats from their supply chains. There is growing concern focused on the reseller channel, an often vulnerable link. In too many cases, agencies are trusting without verifying and opening the door to potential threats.
As the last mile in federal supply chains, the channel manages an enormous amount of federal data, including Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). While large original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have vigorous supply chain practices, and some resellers will have all the required controls in place, other resellers do not have the resources to combat threats in the reseller channel. Adversaries exploit the reseller because it is the most cost effective opportunity, and vulnerabilities with small resellers are often magnified, resulting in a disruption in the entirety of a supply chain.
Consider, there are thousands of small resellers selling to federal agencies, the Defense Department, and the Intelligence Community. The barrier to entry is low. There is also often intense economic pressure to sell products, regardless…
