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Fortress, Utility Companies Seek to Improve Supply Chain Security

Fortress Information Security has aligned with multiple utility companies in a bid to improve supply chain security. The effort involves a network of companies known as the Asset to Vendor Network (A2V) and an associated governance committee

Indeed, the A2V Governance Committee assists electric power, water and petrochemical companies, suppliers and service providers, Fortress VP of Industry Relations and Regulatory Affairs Tobias Whitney said. It helps these organizations address security and regulatory concerns in their infrastructure and supply chains.

How Does the A2V Governance Committee Work?

The A2V Governance Committee prioritizes securing mission-critical supply chains against cyberattacks, Fortress noted.

Committee members help utility companies, suppliers and service providers understand supply chain challenges, Fortress indicated. They provide oversight and recommendations to manage supply chain risks and secure critical infrastructure. In addition, committee members share supply chain security concerns and find solutions that work for common stakeholders within critical infrastructure industries.

A2V Governance Committee includes members of utility companies American Electric Power (AEP) and Southern Company. Other committee participants include Microsoft and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Most Senior IT Decision-Makers, Security Pros Report Supply Chain Attacks

Supply chain attacks remain problems for many IT decision-makers and security professionals, according to the "2021 Global Security Attitude Survey" from endpoint detection and response (EDR) provider CrowdStrike.

Key findings from CrowdStrike's survey included:

  • 84 percent of respondents indicated they expect supply chain attacks to become one of the biggest cybersecurity threats in the next three years.
  • 77 percent of respondents said their organization experienced a supply chain attack.
  • 45 percent experienced at least one supply chain attack in the past 12 months.

Several Top 250 MSSPs are exploring ways to help organizations guard against supply chain attacks.

Trustwave, a Singtel subsidiary, in December 2021 introduced supply chain-focused security services for enterprises and SMB (small and midsize business) customers. Furthermore, BlueVoyant in October 2021 acquired 202 Group, which provides supply chain risk management solutions to the U.S. federal government. Also, Deloitte in October 2021 announced a supply chain security partnership with BlackBerry.

Dan Kobialka

Dan Kobialka is senior contributing editor, MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E. He covers IT security, IT service provider business strategies and partner programs. Dan holds a M.A. in Print and Multimedia Journalism from Emerson College and a B.A. in English from Bridgewater State University. In his free time, Dan enjoys jogging, traveling, playing sports, touring breweries and watching football.