Introduction
Did you hear about the recent data breach at the European Space Agency?
Many people assume that a major organization like that can’t be infiltrated. After all, agencies like this work with satellites, rockets, and advanced science. Surely they can afford strong defenses, too? If they can be affected by a cyber incident, what does that mean for everyone else?
For threat actors, no target is too big or too small.
What Happened to the Space Agency?
In ESA’s case, the issue wasn’t a dramatic attack on spacecraft systems. Instead, an external contractor used a third-party file transfer program…and threat actors breached the program. Through there, they could extract information from the space agency. That mistake compromised information on ESA employees, including their names, contact details, and employment records. They ultimately lost over 200GB of data.
This reflects most breaches today: Instead of breaking into the network through brute, digital force (although still do that, too), they happen through trusted tools and services that you use every day. These are trusted programs like payroll providers, HR platforms, and file-sharing tools. Because you know and use these platforms regularly, you already have an underlying assumption of trust.
At the same time, these vendors often handle sensitive information on behalf of organizations, including yours. When you send a document to your coworker to e-sign, the website may be able to read, and therefore leak, that private information.
How Do Supply Chain Attacks Affect Everyone Else?
Consider how much time it would take to hack and breach 500, or even 100, individual company networks. Comparatively, it’s much simpler to go after a common, outside data base that holds all of those companies’ information. Infiltrating third-parties to get to company data has therefore become increasingly common. Also known as supply chain attacks, these threats have increasingly targeted critical infrastructure (e.g. transportation systems, communications, healthcare).
For employees, this means your data can be exposed even if you personally did nothing wrong. Applying for a job, submitting onboarding paperwork, or using approved workplace systems can still place your information at risk if hackers breach that third party.
For this reason, any communication that contains private information should happen through a platform that uses end-to-end encryption. This scrambles your data into unreadable “tokens” that only the other party can open, so that no one can intercept and redirect the message on its way to your inbox.
Protecting Yourself from Supply Chain Attacks
While you can’t control how third-parties secure their systems, you can reduce personal risk and spot problems early.
First, be mindful of where you share personal information. If someone asks you to submit documents, forms, or sensitive details through a new platform, take a moment to verify the request’s legitimacy. Did you expect it ? Did it come from a known vendor? Unexpected requests always deserve a second look.
Also, pay attention to breach notifications. If your employer or a service provider alerts you to an incident, read the message carefully and follow any recommended steps, such as changing passwords or monitoring accounts. These notices aren’t just formalities; they help you limit downstream impact.
It’s also wise to avoid reusing passwords across work systems and personal accounts. When hackers breach a third-party platform, reused credentials allow attackers to access far more than intended.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it comes down to trusting your instincts. If a file-sharing link, login prompt, or data request feels unusual, pause and ask questions. Supply chain attacks succeed because they blend into your everyday communications.
Even highly regulated, technically sophisticated organizations rely on external platforms in their daily workdays. Unfortunately, those programs are also vulnerable. Understanding how data moves, questioning unexpected requests for personal information, and staying alert to breach notifications all help reduce your chance of a breach.
Breaches like the one perpetrated upon ESA shows that cyber incidents often happen indirectly, quietly, and outside of our immediate control. Staying informed, cautious, and engaged is one of the most effective ways that you can protect yourself in an increasingly connected world.
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