Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • The Security Leadership Issue
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
ColumnsManagementCareer IntelligenceSecurity Leadership and ManagementSecurity Education & Training

Career Intelligence

Supply chain security: A key career skill

Today's security executive must be conversant in key aspects of their organization's supply chain resiliency.

By Jerry J. Brennan, Joanne R. Pollock
Truck with containers

NAerialPerspective Works / E+ via Getty Images

November 14, 2024

In previous articles we have discussed the fact that supply chain security was sometimes part of the corporate security function but at times was a separate activity setting under operations or production. Whatever the organization structure, having a deep understanding of supply chain security risks is highly beneficial for your career today more than ever. Organizational supply chain risks are influenced by a mix of geopolitical tensions, evolving technology and broader economic shifts. It is directly tied to their risk resiliency programs that we are seeing more and more corporate security departments either lead or at least be an active participant in.

Recent news events have highlighted the consequences of not having examined, validated, executed and assured supply chain security. Today’s failures by your suppliers and theirs will impact your ability to support your customers. The perpetrators may be criminal organizations, employees or contractors and state sponsored operations.

Below is a list that security functions should be conversant in and able to evaluate as a part of a risk probability, impact and program implementation discussions with leadership.

Cybersecurity & technology threats

  • Attackers are increasingly targeting third party vendors to gain entry to larger corporations. These breaches can result in the theft of intellectual property, customer data or critical business information.
  • Ransomware may compromise systems essential for supply chain operations, bringing manufacturing, logistics, or distribution to a halt.
  • Data Integrity, such as modifying shipment information or product specifications, can disrupt supply chain operations.
  • The increased reliance on the Internet of Things (IoT) devices and artificial intelligence (AI) in supply chains introduces new cyber and operational risks.
  • The growing inclusion of blockchain solutions can introduce new vulnerabilities around data integrity.

Geopolitical risks

  • Trade wars and sanctions can lead to sudden tariffs or restrictions, forcing businesses to pivot their supply chains, sometimes at a higher cost.
  • Regional Instabilities, political unrest, civil conflicts or regime changes in key manufacturing hubs can disrupt production and transportation.
  • Nationalization or regulatory pressures where governments may impose stricter regulations on foreign corporations, may interfere with access to local suppliers or disrupt existing supply chain networks.

Medical / health related disruptions

  • SARS, MERS and COVID19 pandemics provided a window into how health crisis could disrupt global supply chains. Recurrences or new pandemics (even on a regional scale) can lead to shutdowns, slowdowns or restrictions on movement that disrupt production and delivery timelines.
  • Health related labor shortages,risks and restrictions can cause labor shortages in critical sectors such as manufacturing, shipping and logistics.

Natural disasters and significant climate events

  • Extreme weather events and other natural disasters can destroy infrastructure, delay shipments, halt production and may provide opportunities for malicious actors.
  • As the frequency of extreme weather events increases, long term supply chain planning becomes more difficult, especially for sectors reliant on agriculture or natural resources.

Supplier risk management

  • Reliance on Single or Limited Suppliers: Many companies still rely on a few key suppliers, which increases their vulnerability. If one supplier fails, it could lead to disruptions across the entire production cycle.
  • Lack of Visibility and Transparency: Many corporations struggle with visibility into their supply chain, especially at lower tier suppliers. This makes early detection of problems critical.

Counterfeit and fraudulent products

  • As global supply chains grow more complex, so does the risk of counterfeit components or products entering the supply chain.
  • Products, critical materials, components and parts being diverted or stolen in the supply chain or being replaced with substandard or fraudulent items are great risks.

Compliance and regulatory risks

  • Regulations surrounding customs, tariffs and compliance laws increasingly have security related components that, if not effectively implemented, can cause delays or increased costs for goods in transit.
  • Emerging environmental, social, and governance (ESG) regulations are also an area that security departments have become an integral part of in addition to compliance programs to avoid reputational damage, fines or loss of customer trust.

It is also critical that a security executive understand the various business impact factors so that you can more effectively communicate with your stakeholder on alignment and value of your programs. Some of the business impacts that you need to understand and be knowledgeable of are:

Logistics and transportation vulnerabilities

  • Port Congestion
  • Shortage of Shipping Containers
  • Transportation Strikes

Economic risks

  • Global Inflation
  • Supplier Financial Instability

Sustainability and resource scarcity

  • Resource Depletion
  • Sustainability Pressures

Today’s security executive must be conversant in these key aspects of your organization’s supply chain resiliency, you must proactively assess and monitor these risks to aid in ensuring supply chains capable of withstanding the evolving landscape of security threats.

KEYWORDS: career development security career security career planning supply chain supply chain management

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Brennan 2016 200px

Jerry Brennan is co-founder and Chief Executive of the Security Management Resources Group of Companies (www.smrgroup.com), the leading global executive search practice focused exclusively on corporate and information security positions.

Pollock 2016 200px

Joanne R. Pollock is the co-founder and President of Security Management Resources.  Previous to SMR, she had a 20-year career at leading global corporations, working across diverse functional areas including human resources, sales and marketing, and information technology services.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security magazine's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024 award...
    Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    By: Security Staff
  • cyber brain

    The intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable cybersecurity...
    Security Leadership and Management
    By: Pam Nigro
  • artificial intelligence AI graphic

    Assessing the pros and cons of AI for cybersecurity

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant implications...
    New Security Technology
    By: Charles Denyer
Manage My Account
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Security audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Security or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Crisis Response Team
    Sponsored byEverbridge

    Automate or Fall Behind – Crisis Response at the Speed of Risk

  • Perimeter security
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Why Property Security is the New Competitive Advantage

  • Duty of Care
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Integrating Technology and Physical Security to Advance Duty of Care

Popular Stories

Coding

AI Emerges as the Top Concern for Security Leaders

Half open laptop

“Luigi Was Right”: A Look at the Website Sharing Data on More Than 1,000 Executives

Shopping mall

Victoria’s Secret Security Incident Shuts Down Website

Laptop with coding on ground

Stepping Into the Light: Why CISOs Are Replacing Black-Box Security With Open-Source XDR

Gift cards and credit cards

Why Are Cyberattacks Targeting Retail? Experts Share Their Thoughts

2025 Security Benchmark banner

Events

June 24, 2025

Inside a Modern GSOC: How Anthropic Benchmarks Risk Detection Tools for Speed and Accuracy

For today's security teams, making informed decisions in the first moments of a crisis is critical.

July 17, 2025

Tech in the Jungle: Leveraging Surveillance, Access Control, and Technology in Unique Environments

From animal habitats to bustling crowds of visitors, a zoo is a one-of-a-kind environment for deploying modern security technologies.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products

Related Articles

  • Key Influences on the Security Job Market

    Key influences on the security job market

    See More
  • security recruitment

    What can a security recruitment firm do for your career?

    See More
  • Gavel on a keyboard

    Security regulations and standards can impact your security career

    See More

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • November 17, 2025

    SECURITY 500 Conference

    This event is designed to provide security executives, government officials and leaders of industry with vital information on how to elevate their programs while allowing attendees to share their strategies and solutions with other security industry executives.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing