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Approximately one-third of company heads have witnessed a noticeable increase in online breaches targeting their logistics networks during the past six months, as high-profile digital attacks on prominent businesses have emphasized this increasing danger to modern businesses.

Online security issues climb concern rankings for supply chain executives

Digital security concerns have advanced the list of priorities for supply chain executives at multiple companies internationally across various industries including manufacturing, power and technology, according to recent sector analysis carried out in September.

High-profile cyber incidents cause significant financial losses

Current digital intrusions at multiple well-known businesses have led to financial impacts of substantial sums of money, moving cyber resilience from being mostly the responsibility of IT departments to becoming a primary concern for corporate boards and company directors.

The nature of worldwide business, the way we view global supply chains and the digital supply environment are increasingly interconnected,

stated a senior professional association head.

International considerations compound supply chain anxieties

In the first half, supply chain managers were particularly concerned about geopolitical instability, including ongoing disputes in various areas, along with international tariff measures that weighed on international trade.

However, digital security risks are now competing with international conflicts and tariff disputes as the most significant danger for participants of international trade associations.

Research reveals widespread effect

The study revealed that nearly 30% of executives stated that businesses within their supply chains had been targeted by digital attacks in previous months.

Substantial automotive consequences

A notable vehicle producer experienced production shutdowns and was found itself incapable to manufacture cars for an entire month, following a cyber-attack that forced the organization to disable IT networks across multiple international locations.

The economic impact of this month-long production shutdown at Britain's largest vehicle producer has been calculated at approximately 120 million pounds in lost profits, or one point seven billion pounds in foregone income, according to university research from a business economics professor.

Latest global incidents

During the autumn, a major international drinks manufacturer became the most recent business to be required to halt manufacturing at its local plants following a cyber-attack.

The company, which manages numerous manufacturing plants in Japan producing beer and various goods, reported that its order processing capabilities, along with shipping operations and client support operations, had been halted following a network disruption triggered by the security breach.

Expanding interconnectedness produces vulnerabilities

Businesses are increasingly enabled by partner companies. Gone are the era of viewing an business as an entity working in isolation.

Current major cyber-attacks have functioned as a important lesson to companies to invest in robust cybersecurity measures, to protect their internal functions and retain consumer trust, encouraging them to investigate how their logistics networks could become possible objectives for cyber criminals.