Every organization today – even yours – depends on a complex web of software dependencies. Whether in financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, or national security, as supply chains become more interconnected, so too do the risks.
Cyberattacks on software supply chains have surged, with over 75% of them experiencing breaches in 2024 alone. Criminals are exploiting vulnerabilities in development pipelines, open-source components, and third-party integrations, making these attacks one of the most urgent security threats. These breaches not only threaten financial stability but also jeopardize the integrity of an organization’s brand and reputation.
In addition to fending off increasingly sophisticated attacks, businesses must also contend with regulatory pressures, data integrity concerns, and the operational fallout from security failures.
It’s no surprise that the U.S. supply chain security market is projected to grow from $634.3 million in 2025 to $988.4 million by 2032, driven by the need for stronger protections. Emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain are shaping the future of supply chain security, but the risks continue to evolve.
Regulations Are Raising the Bar: The Cyber Resilience Act
To address software supply chain risks, governments are introducing stricter regulations. The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), adopted by the European Union in December 2024, applies to all software, firmware, and connected devices sold or used in the EU.
Put simply, CRA is one way of ensuring that digital products in the supply chain are secure. Secure by default principles would impose a duty of care for the lifecycle of products. In other words, the new rules would rebalance responsibility toward manufacturers – instead of relying on average consumers to establish a basic level of security.
Why should this legislation matter to you? Because even U.S.-based companies selling to the EU must comply – or face hefty fines. Requirements will start on September 11, 2026, while most other provisions of the CRA will fully apply on December 11, 2027.
Here’s an excerpt from the EU’s legislation:
“By laying down cybersecurity requirements for placing on the market products with digital elements, it is intended that the cybersecurity of those products for consumers and businesses alike be enhanced. Those requirements will also ensure that cybersecurity is taken into account throughout supply chains, making final products with digital elements and their components more secure…[and] applies to such products as smart home products with security functionalities, including smart door locks, baby monitoring systems and alarm systems, connected toys and personal wearable health technology.”
Keyfactor’s recent eBook summarizes the key CRA requirements you need to know, including:
- Security by design – Building security into products from the start.
- Lifecycle accountability – Maintaining security for at least five years post-deployment.
- Incident and vulnerability reporting – Implementing these controls within a year.
With a quickly approaching compliance deadline, the time to act is now. Delays not only risk non-compliance but also expose organizations to preventable security threats.
How to Strengthen Your Software Supply Chain
So, how can organizations protect themselves? The answer lies in building digital trust – securing the entire DevOps toolchain, verifying software authenticity, and implementing cryptographic safeguards.
The terms ensure, enhance, and embed are the three magic words you’ll want to remember. They’re the key strategies that will help you to strengthen software supply chain security and prevent costly breaches:
#1 Ensure Software Authenticity
- Authenticate and verify all software components throughout the development lifecycle.
- Validate the identity of developers, applications, and infrastructure components.
- Implement robust code-signing and cryptographic verification to prevent unauthorized modifications.
#2 Enhance Transparency and Traceability
- Leverage metadata, including Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs), to provide full visibility into software origins.
- Utilize blockchain and AI-powered solutions to enhance transparency in the supply chain.
- Implement real-time monitoring tools to detect anomalies and vulnerabilities before they become threats.
#3 Embed Security in the Development Lifecycle
- Secure the DevOps toolchain with robust cryptographic safeguards.
- Ensure compliance with evolving regulations, like the CRA referenced above.
- Utilize PKI-based code signing to protect against unauthorized modifications and malware.
By embedding these principles into software development, organizations can mitigate the risks posed by increasingly complex supply chains.
The Future of Secure Code Signing
With supply chain threats on the rise and regulations tightening, businesses need a proactive approach to code signing and security. Keyfactor provides a centralized, secure, and developer-friendly platform for code signing, ensuring organizations can protect their software assets without disrupting innovation.
The question isn’t just can you trust your code – it’s how are you proving it? Now is the time to rethink security before vulnerabilities become liabilities.