Tackling supply chain cybersecurity in Southeast Asia

The geopolitical developments in 2025 have cast a spotlight on the critical role that supply chain security plays in global commerce and economic growth.  

The interconnected digital systems and global suppliers of today are facing an increasingly complex security landscape, exacerbated by the intertwined threat of cybersecurity and supply chain security vulnerability.  

Understanding and mitigating the risks embedded within supply chains is no longer a niche concern, but a critical imperative for the Southeast Asian region’s continued prosperity and security. 

Protecting cyber assets and securing the supply chain 

Cybersecurity involves defending our digital assets such as computers, servers, mobile devices, networks, and data from malicious attacks.  

These could range from malware and ransomware designed to extort or disrupt, to phishing / social engineering campaigns aimed at stealing credentials or getting approvals, and sophisticated Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) seeking long-term espionage or sabotage.  

Within the broader cybersecurity landscape, supply chain security focuses on the vulnerabilities inherent in the complex web of partners, vendors, and components that contribute to a final product or service.  

It is important to note that “supply chain” goes beyond just the supply of physical goods alone; it encompasses: 

• software development, including open-source libraries and third-party code, 

• hardware manufacturing, from chip design to prototyping to assembly, and 

• the services provided by external vendors, including IT support and cloud providers. 

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Identifying the weakest link(s) 

A weakness or compromise at any point in this chain, whether through malicious code injected into a software update, a counterfeit hardware component with hidden backdoors, or a compromised third-party vendor with privileged access, could create significant vulnerabilities for the end-user or organisation.  

The convergence of the supply chain vulnerability and cybersecurity attack risks is where the threat truly escalates. Attackers increasingly view the supply chain as a vector to bypass an organisation’s direct defenses.  

By compromising a trusted supplier, they can potentially infiltrate hundreds or even thousands of downstream victims. 

For example: 

• In the SolarWinds attack of 2019, malicious code was inserted into a widely used IT management software Orion and the malware spread through SolarWinds’ customer systems, allowing the hackers to gain access to thousands of customer IT systems through the contagion. 
   

• In the 2017 NotPetya cyberattack, a state-sponsored attack by Russian hacker group Sandworm compromised first a Ukraine accounting software from a company Linkos, used by many people doing business in Ukraine. The attack spread quickly throughout the world, and eventually created a global shutdown of the shipping company Maersk, amongst other logistic shippers. The total cost of recovery for Maersk was estimated to be between US$ 250-300 million (S$320-384 million), which starkly illustrates the devastating and widespread impact such attacks through supply chains can have. 
   

• In the 2025 M&S, Co-op, and Harrods attacks, it is believed that affiliates of DragonForce and Scattered Spider teamed up leveraging sophisticated social engineering tactics, software exploits and brute-force credential attacks to gain access to the network. Notably, the groups work in waves targeting several organisations of the same sector for media visibility, and DragonForce has been active in the region before (Coca-Cola, Singapore in 2023). 

Southeast Asia at the intersection of opportunity and vulnerability 

Southeast Asia sits at a unique intersection of opportunity and vulnerability when it comes to supply chain cybersecurity challenges.  

We highlight a few such intersections: 

1) The region’s manufacturing ecosystem is a tempting supply chain cyberattack target: Countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia are integral to global manufacturing supply chains, particularly for electronics.  

This creates opportunities for malicious actors to introduce compromised hardware components or tamper with firmware during production.

The risk of counterfeit electronics, which may not meet security standards or could contain malware, is also a significant concern, potentially impacting everything from consumer devices to industrial control systems. 

2) Southeast Asia’s expansive reach is also a vulnerability: With strong growth in its digital economy, Southeast Asia has also seen a rapid increase in products and services such as local software development, e-commerce platforms, and fintech solutions.  

These services often have a tightly interwoven application ecosystem, relying on third-party software (vendor vulnerability), open-source libraries, and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Any vulnerability in any of these components in the ecosystem will have a cascading and contagion effect. 

3) Critical infrastructure, maritime logistics dependencies: This threat is not limited to Southeast Asia as much of the world’s critical national infrastructure, such as energy, telecommunications, and transportation including maritime logistics, all rely on technology and components sourced from around the world.  

The global software, hardware, and maintenance-ware supply chain therefore introduces the risk of embedded vulnerabilities or “kill switches” that could be exploited by bad actors, disrupting essential services in countries. 

4) SME vulnerabilities: Approximately 97 per cent of all companies in the region are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who often do not have the resources and cybersecurity expertise of larger corporations.  

This makes them attractive targets for attackers seeking an entry point into the supply chains of larger companies they partner with, as a compromised SME can serve as an unwitting Trojan horse, amongst other risks. 

The way forward 

The security of our digital future in Southeast Asia is inextricably linked to the integrity of our supply chains. It’s not just about protecting individual organisations but about safeguarding our interconnected economic ecosystem.  

The Coalition for Cybersecurity in Asia Pacific (CCAPAC) notes that these complex challenges require fostering a collective commitment to robust supply chain cybersecurity practices.  

We are committed to providing a strong platform for dialogue and discussion, where we can build a more resilient and trustworthy digital environment together, ensuring that Asia Pacific continues its digital transformation securely and successfully. 

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The author is the Executive Director of the Coalition for Cybersecurity in Asia Pacific (CCAPAC) which comprises a group of industry stakeholders who are working to shape the cybersecurity environment in Asia through policy analysis, engagement, and capacity building. Access Partnership is the secretariat for CCAPAC. For more information, visit https://ccapac.asia