October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CSAM), a time to reflect on the risks and best practices that help protect our businesses and clients. One area that requires special attention is the supply chain. Brokers and organizations rely on a network of vendors, technology providers, and third-party services to keep operations running smoothly. However, every additional partner adds a potential entry point for cybercriminals. In recent years, attackers have increasingly targeted suppliers as a way to bypass traditional defenses, making supply chain security critical to overall organizational resilience.
Protecting your supply chain starts with understanding your vendors. Conduct thorough risk assessments to evaluate the security measures your partners have in place, including multi-factor authentication, data encryption, and incident response protocols. Establish clear contractual requirements that define minimum cybersecurity standards, and ensure vendors are only given the access they truly need. Limiting permissions and conducting regular reviews can prevent a single compromised vendor from becoming a point of failure.
Prevention doesn’t stop at onboarding. Continuously monitor vendor activity for unusual behavior, maintain open communication about potential vulnerabilities, and require prompt reporting of incidents. Use automated tools and threat intelligence to detect risks early, and encourage teams to stay alert for signs of suspicious activity, such as unexpected requests or changes in vendor procedures. Staying informed about software vulnerabilities and enforcing secure practices in any third-party code or systems further strengthens your defenses.
As Cybersecurity Awareness Month progresses, remember that supply chain security is an ongoing effort, not a one-time checklist. By building secure partnerships, monitoring continuously, and fostering a culture of vigilance, you protect your organization, your clients, and your reputation. Strong supply chain security reinforces trust and ensures that everyone in your network is a resilient part of your business ecosystem.
Changes to MFA log in functionality for DAT
Starting October 21, email MFA will no longer be an option for our customers as they will be pushed to more secure MFA options. Customers are being notified through in-app notifications and emails, along with proactive outreach from the customer support team to accounts with large numbers of users currently utilizing email MFA so they can be migrated to a newer approved format.If customers have questions, they can reference the associated support article.
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