Global IT infrastructure has experienced increasing interconnectedness and interdependence, leading to a greater focus on operational resilience by Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs). While organizations have improved their defenses against software threats, they are facing challenges in protecting against lower-level threats targeting hardware and firmware. These supply chain attacks, which can range from compromising supplier infrastructure to tampering with hardware, undermine the security of devices in ways that are hard to detect and fix.

Regulators are taking steps to enhance supply chain security, with the UK and the US implementing new cybersecurity regulations, and the EU introducing requirements across the supply chain. A survey revealed that many UK organizations have been impacted by state-sponsored actors attempting to insert malicious hardware or firmware, emphasizing the importance of addressing physical device security risks.

Failure to safeguard the integrity of endpoint hardware and firmware can grant attackers significant control over devices, with attacks becoming more accessible to various threat actors. Real-world examples demonstrate the stealthy and complex nature of firmware threats, signaling the need for improved detection and prevention measures.

To enhance endpoint hardware and firmware security, organizations are advised to secure firmware configuration, leverage vendor factory services, adopt platform certificate technology, and monitor device compliance continuously. Strong supply chain security is crucial for overall endpoint security, highlighting the importance of managing hardware and firmware security throughout the device lifecycle.

This article, part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel, emphasizes the significance of securing hardware and firmware foundations for endpoint security, underlining the necessity for organizations to prioritize managing, monitoring, and remediating hardware and firmware security to ensure a secure IT environment.