The hot topics in logistics at the moment are digitization and automation. In a market roundtable, Rick Watson, founder and CEO of New York-based RMW Commerce Consulting told Logistics Management: “Broadly speaking, most of the pandemic changes are not likely to become permanent—at least from a capacity perspective. One lasting acceleration of an existing trend will continue to be the importance of automation. Over the next 10 years, it’s going to be very difficult to run a logistics business without significant investment in automation and digital technology.”

Digitization and automation allow for more optimization and efficiency, visibility in supply chains, ease of sharing data with partners, avoiding waste, and quality control. However, with new technology, tools, and processes, come new vulnerabilities that must be accounted for and addressed. 

Cybersecurity is more important than ever as we move forward. According to the Verizon 2022 Data Breach Investigations report, supply chain breaches were responsible for 62% of system intrusion incidents and four out of five breaches could be linked to organized crime. Many of these incidents came from ransomware. The FBI defines ransomware as: “Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that prevents you from accessing your computer files, systems, or networks and demands you pay a ransom for their return.”

As business and the world economy innovates, so too does the criminal element. 

Forbes has some tips for a multifunctional cybersecurity strategy:

  • Tightly control access to highly valuable data with zero-trust policies and identity controls.
  • Define and enforce stringent access policies for third parties.
  • Employ penetration testing to discover hidden vulnerabilities and risks.
  • Update software and firmware updates and patches with regularity.
  • Implement a policy for strong credentials, and support it with a password management solution.
  • Conduct regular employee security awareness training.
  • Develop a cyber incident response plan with guidelines on how to identify, respond and recover from a cyberattack.

Cybersecurity isn’t a new concept, but industries who haven’t previously had to consider their risk or exposure are now finding themselves in need of solutions, especially in the supply chain. 

At RS Express, we take cybersecurity seriously. If you’d like to know more about how we keep your data safe, reach out to us today.