Automatic Zero Trust protection. Bulk labeling of files. Easy-to-use tools. Here’s 3 ways to secure external collaboration without impeding workflows.
Just as one broken link can disrupt a physical supply chain, it only takes one security gap to infect a digital supply chain.
Digital supply chains are as vital to modern workflows as they are fallible to attack. From infected software to accidental third-party leaks, one single vendor can bring down the whole supply chain. Given three-quarters of software supply chains suffered a cyber incident in 2023-2024, you must take action to secure your digital supply chain. But ultra-security is also ultra-impractical: you cannot prevent real collaboration or slow down the production process.
Here’s three ways to ensure a secure and seamless digital supply chain in 2025.
Cyber attackers are focusing their crosshairs on digital supply chains for two main reasons: there are endless potential security gaps and endless potential targets. By infiltrating the software of a small custom parts supplier, for example, attackers can travel along the supply chain and infect larger, enterprise organizations.
The key is to not try and prevent a breach of your partner’s contractor’s subcontractor's devices, but prevent any breach from traveling up the supply chain to your organization. Automatic Zero Trust protection provides that block. Integrated directly into the application layer of sensitive files, such as CAD files or PDFs in shared project folders, automatic Zero Trust protection enforces authorization controls beyond your IT perimeter, securing your files no matter where they travel or end up (i.e. in the wrong hands). What’s more, as Zero Trust protection is embedded into files from creation, it doesn’t impact the end-user experience or disrupt workflows as all authorized personnel will have the right credentials to access the files.
Bulk labeling of sensitive project files
Adding sensitivity labels, such as Microsoft Purview Information Protection (MPIP) authorization tags, to files allows you to grant or revoke access rights to your sensitive data at any time - no matter where they are in the digital supply chain. As such, you can easily edit access for specific employees or update access rights for incoming project partners. But, encrypting thousands of documents manually one by one is time-consuming and inefficient.
Instead, classify labels in bulk. With simple drag-and-drop labeling and relabeling solutions, you can secure hundreds of sensitive files in shared folders (i.e. OneDrive or SharePoint) in seconds with adjustable authorization settings. For instance, you can set all files in the ‘Drawings’ folder to only be accessible to engineers. This helps protect your files when collaborating eternally and maintains efficient workflows.
Be it scientists or engineers, lawyers or HR, the vast majority of your external partners along the supply chain are not cybersecurity experts. In fact, ISC2 estimates that up to 95% of businesses with fewer than 100 employees don’t even employ a single information security professional. As such, you need to ensure that your supply chain security is simple to understand and adopt in order to ensure widespread use.
Firstly, look for tools that enable unencrypted sharing (such as discreet digital watermarks), so partners accessing non sensitive project information can easily access shared files without downloading specific software. Secondly, employ security tools that use familiar processes such as the controls found in MS Office files (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Thirdly, make file security at rest and in transit the default setting, so your partners can focus on what they do best and not worry about accidental breaches (55% of insider security incidents result from employee negligence).
Secude’s HaloSHARE is a flexible workflow tool that automatically protects and monitors files in shared networks and cloud server folders, securing your sensitive data and enhancing your workflows when collaborating externally. From automatic Zero Trust protection to bulk sensitivity labeling, HaloSHARE secures and streamlines your multi-partner supply chains without impeding your operational productivity.
To find out more, check out our HaloSHARE product page. HaloSHARE - Secude
