Cyber security breaches are unfortunately an all-too-common occurrence. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently issued a warning about such an event at Sisense, a leading data analytics services provider. The ramifications of this incident, given Sisense’s place in the supply chain, are potentially far-reaching.

Critical Collaboration in the Face of Crisis

According to CISA, it is actively joining forces with private industry partners to respond to the compromise at Sisense, which was discovered by independent security researchers. As part of their response, CISA is urging Sisense customers to reset any credentials and secrets that may have been exposed or used to access Sisense services.

Analyzing the Impact on the Supply Chain

The severe consequences of this breach are magnified due to the extensive use of Sisense across a wide array of industries. Sisense develops business intelligence and data analytics software for several big companies, such as telcos, airlines, and tech giants.

Philips, Verizon, and Canada Air are a few of several recognizable clients, so it’s clear to see how far the impact may spread as a result of this cyber security incident.

Attackers who gain unauthorized access to Sisense’s systems could potentially infiltrate the networks of its customers, causing a damaging ripple effect down the supply chain. In a supply chain attack, the ultimate target is often not the initially breached company, but rather its customers and business partners.

This means a threat actor can potentially access dozens, if not hundreds or thousands, of other organizations through a single service provider’s network.

Taking Precautions: Stay Protected in Supply Chain Attacks

In the face of such potential threats, companies must follow CISA’s guidance immediately and reset any credentials and secrets that were exposed or used to access Sisense services.

On a broader scale, organizations are urged to:

• Consistently adhere to strong password policies
• Employ multifactor authentication
• Conduct regular supplier security audits
• Ensure continuous monitoring of both the business infrastructure and personal credentials

These steps will help safeguard against breaches like the one Sisense endured.

Your Vendor’s Security is as Important as Yours

The Sisense data breach provides a stark reminder of the broader impact of cyber security incidents with the supply chain being one of these examples. Attackers are becoming more sophisticated, recognizing opportunities to jump from smaller vendors to much larger companies.

If even a single part of an organization’s supply chain is vulnerable, threat actors can exploit this to gain access to vast amounts of private information–risking not just that company but all of its customers and partners as well.

By taking the necessary precautions and educating employees, companies can ensure protection against opportunistic threat actors and safeguard their operations – and the operations of their partners – from damaging breaches like that of Sisense.

If you want to ensure that your business is not impacted by this breach, our cyber security experts are happy to put your mind at ease. Reach out to us today!