Procurement, Buckle Up: Cyber Risks Are Behind the Wheel
- Nik Neshat
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
This isn’t science fiction anymore:
Tesla now delivers new vehicles autonomously, driving themselves from the factory to customers—no human behind the wheel.
Meanwhile, Apple’s new CarPlay Ultra is set to control nearly every function of your car’s dashboard—from speedometers to temperature to navigation.
These innovations are powered by hyper-connected, software-driven supply chains. Behind the sleek design lies a hidden risk:
Each supplier, each line of code, each API integration is a potential entry point for cyberattacks.
And the real question is:
Is Procurement ready or are we still treating cybersecurity as someone else’s job?
What Happens When a Trusted Supplier Becomes the Threat?
In 2020, hackers infiltrated SolarWinds, a widely used IT vendor. They injected malicious code into a routine software update.
That update was automatically pushed to 18,000+ customers, including:
U.S. federal agencies
Microsoft, Cisco, Intel
Critical infrastructure providers
Procurement had followed process: selected a reputable supplier, signed the contract, ensured delivery. But cyber risk hadn’t been embedded in the sourcing process and the result was a global breach. A single supplier compromise rippled across industries and borders.
Procurement’s Role in Cyber Resilience: 5 Moves to Make Now
Include Cyber Risk in RFQs
Ask for NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2, penetration test results, secure development practices, and incident disclosures.
Engage InfoSec Early
Collaborate with cybersecurity and legal teams during supplier evaluation not after onboarding.
Harden Contracts
Add breach notification requirements, cyber risk audit rights, access limitations, and well-defined liabilities.
Go Beyond Tier 1
Risks often originate in Tier 2/3. Push for transparency and secure practices throughout the supply network.
Train Procurement Teams in Cyber Basics
Equip category managers and sourcing leads to identify red flags and ask the right risk questions.
What Top COOs Are Telling Us
I’ve worked with brilliant Chief Operating Officers (COOs) who are the right hand of the CEO, steering transformation, resilience, and operational integrity. COOs closely working with their CPOs and CISOs on Cybersecurity for Procurement.
They’ve all told me one thing:
“We don’t lay flat for cyber to come and do the surgery. We show up prepared.”
That mindset is what separates reactive organizations from resilient ones.
As supply chains become smarter, faster, and more autonomous, Procurement must drive cyber readiness to drive Total Cost Ownership (TCO) down, not just short term cost savings.
How is your organization preparing for cyber threats in the supply base?
Let’s exchange ideas because in today’s world, Procurement protects the enterprise.