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Almost a third of corporate leaders have observed a significant increase in digital intrusions targeting their distribution systems during the previous half-year, as high-profile digital attacks on prominent businesses have highlighted this increasing danger to contemporary enterprises.

Cyber threats move up worry scales for purchasing directors

Cybersecurity threats have climbed the ranking of worries for purchasing directors at multiple companies internationally across multiple industries including production, energy and IT, according to recent industry research carried out in the ninth month.

Prominent digital attacks lead to considerable monetary impacts

Recent security breaches at various well-known companies have resulted in losses of substantial sums of money, shifting cyber resilience from being mainly the focus of digital security units to becoming a significant preoccupation for senior management and senior leaders.

The nature of worldwide business, the manner in which we consider global supply chains and the online supply environment are ever more connected,

stated a prominent sector leader.

Global elements add to logistics concerns

During previous months, supply chain managers were especially concerned about geopolitical instability, including continuing tensions in various regions, along with commercial regulations that weighed on international trade.

Nevertheless, cyber threats are now matching international conflicts and commercial conflicts as the primary danger for participants of international trade associations.

Research shows widespread consequences

The study found that nearly 30% of managers indicated that businesses within their distribution systems had been attacked by digital attacks in previous months.

Major automotive impact

A notable automotive manufacturer experienced manufacturing stoppages and was could not to produce vehicles for four weeks, following a security incident that forced the business to shut down IT networks across multiple international locations.

The financial consequences of this month-long manufacturing halt at Britain's largest car manufacturer has been estimated at approximately £120 million in foregone income, or one point seven billion pounds in missed sales, according to university research from a business economics expert.

Recent international examples

More recently, a prominent Japanese brewing group became the most recent business to be forced to stop production at its home country facilities following a security incident.

The organization, which manages numerous industrial sites in its home country producing alcoholic beverages and other products, reported that its transaction handling functions, along with distribution activities and call center services, had been interrupted following a network disruption triggered by the digital intrusion.

Growing interconnectedness creates weaknesses

Organizations are more and more supported by external entities. Gone are the times of viewing an business as an entity working in independence.

Recent prominent security incidents have acted as a clear warning to organizations to devote funding to robust digital defences, to secure their own operations and preserve client faith, prompting them to analyze how their distribution systems could become possible objectives for hackers.