NIST, ITL, Cyber-Supply Chain Risk Management Best Practices Interview

OMB Control #: 0693-0043

Expiration date: 03/31/2022

Cyber-Supply Chain Risk Management Best Practices

Interview Questions

• What is the organization’s structure for managing supply chain risk? What roles are involved in risk management decisions?

• What are the key business drivers for allocating resources for cyber supply chain risk management?

• Where does the organization see benefits from effective cyber supply chain risk management?

• How does the organization identify supply chain threats, vulnerabilities and overall risks? 

  • How are these risks prioritized or measured?

  • What does the organization consider to be major supply chain risks? (examples: quality or products (received or produced), supply chain resiliency, third-party cybersecurity, counterfeits)

• What requirements does the organization put in contracts and service agreements, e.g., security, quality, integrity, etc.? Can provide examples?

  • How does the organization monitor compliance with contractual requirements? How often?

• Has the organization ever felt a need to help a supplier improve their cybersecurity/supply chain practices?

• How does the organization vet or manage third-party suppliers/vendors?

  • Is the organization’s cybersecurity considered? Evaluated?

  • If a questionnaire is used, is it a standardized questionnaire, or internally developed? Why?

  • If an audit is required, how are auditors chosen? - do they have cybersecurity expertise?

  • Are suppliers vetted differently depending on what they provide, their size, or some other reason?

  • What kinds of information are collected about suppliers?

• What methods does the organization use to protect their supply chain? (Especially from cybersecurity-related threats)

  • How does the organization assure quality and integrity of products/software they receive?

  • How does the organization track the provenance of a product?

  • How does the organization prevent tampering of products in the supply chain?

  • What methods for protecting supply chains have been most effective?

  • What key metrics does the organization track for cyber supply chain risk management? Is there an executive dashboard to capture and share those metrics?

  • With whom are those metrics shared?

• What standards or guidelines has the organization implemented to assure the quality, integrity, physical and cybersecurity of products?

• Is supply chain risk included in cybersecurity policy? Is cybersecurity included in supply chain management policy?

• Does the organization have a plan to manage cybersecurity-related supply chain incidents?

• What makes implementing cyber-supply chain risk management difficult?

• What tools/techniques has the organization found most valuable in managing their supply chain risk?

• What resources would the organization suggest useful to organizations less mature in managing their supply chain risks?

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OMB Control #: 0693-0043

Expiration date: 03/31/2022