The recent global Microsoft outage highlighted a critical vulnerability in global supply chains. This outage, which has been described as “one of the worst ever” affected communication, halted production, and delayed deliveries, emphasising our dependence on digital tools. According to sources, 8.5 million computers using Microsoft systems were left inaccessible – impacting critical services such as healthcare, transport, and banking.
Whilst not of the same scale, just weeks later, a second outage caused by a cyber-attack, and a lack of defense, saw further disruption this month, serving as another stark reminder that supply chain strategies must evolve. As digital solutions rise in popularity, there has been a notable increase in the number of cyber-attacks resulting from vulnerabilities within the supply chain. These attacks can have devastating, expensive, and long-term ramifications for affected businesses, supply chains, and customers.
