Supply Chain Attack on a Technology Company

Supply Chain Attack on a Technology Company

Scenario: Sophisticated Supply Chain Attack

A leading technology company discovers unauthorized access to its software development environment, suggesting a supply chain attack. Instead of relying solely on Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), the security team applies the Pyramid of Adversary Profiling to understand the adversary’s motives, behaviors, and long-term objectives.

Applying the Pyramid of Adversary Profiling

1️⃣ Who (Adversary Identity)

• Analysis suggests an advanced threat group known for targeting supply chains rather than direct network intrusions.

• Previous incidents link this group to attacks on technology providers, indicating a focus on software manipulation.

2️⃣ Why (Motivation & Intent)

• The attackers aim to compromise software updates that will later be deployed to multiple customers.

• The goal is long-term persistence, enabling them to infiltrate high-value targets through trusted third-party relationships.

3️⃣ What (Targeted Assets)

• The software build pipeline is the primary target, specifically code repositories, CI/CD pipelines, and signing certificates.

• If successful, the attackers can inject malicious code into legitimate software updates, affecting thousands of downstream users.

4️⃣ How (Execution Methods)

• Initial access is achieved by compromising developer credentials through phishing and social engineering.

• The attackers introduce backdoors into source code, hiding malicious payloads that activate after deployment.

• Stolen signing certificates make the infected software appear legitimate to unsuspecting users.

5️⃣ When (Attack Timing)

• The attack is carefully timed to coincide with a major software release, ensuring maximum distribution.

• Activity spikes during testing and deployment phases, as attackers manipulate build processes to avoid detection.

How This Approach Strengthens Defense

✅ Identifying Strategic Intent – Understanding why attackers target software supply chains helps predict and neutralize future attacks. ✅ Preemptive Hardening – Securing CI/CD pipelines, enforcing MFA for developers, and monitoring code integrity blocks adversary entry points. ✅ Behavioral Threat Analysis – Recognizing patterns of malicious software manipulation helps detect subtle supply chain compromises. ✅ Long-Term Resilience – Unlike traditional defenses that rely on known IOCs, this model focuses on attacker behaviors, ensuring proactive defense.