'Active Response to SW Supply Chain Attacks' Ministry of Science and ICT Meeting Held

SW Supply Chain Security Forum and On-site Meeting Held
Discussion on Supply Chain Security Across SW Development, Distribution, and Operation

On the 1st, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that it held an 'On-site Meeting for Promoting Software (SW) Supply Chain Security' at LG Electronics Seocho Campus, attended by members of the SW Supply Chain Security Forum. The software (SW) supply chain refers to all processes including SW development, testing, distribution (including patches), and operation. The meeting was an opportunity to share LG Electronics' case of systematically implementing SW supply chain security and to discuss the establishment of a national-level SW supply chain security system and future support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises. Members of the SW Supply Chain Security Forum, companies preparing to introduce SW supply chain security, and domestic SW supply chain security solution specialists such as Sparrow and RedPenSoft participated.

Recently, the proportion of open SW used in the SW development process has increased, and since SW development, distribution, and operation are connected globally beyond national boundaries, cyber threats to the SW supply chain have increased. Log4j and SolarWinds are representative cases of SW supply chain attacks. Their ripple effects are sequential and continuous. This situation requires responses not only from individual companies but also at the national level. The United States and Europe are also developing and promoting related measures.

The first topic of the day was presented by Professor Choi Yoon-sung of Korea University, who discussed ▲ SW supply chain attack cases ▲ trends in SW supply chain security policies worldwide ▲ and the necessity of domestic SW supply chain security. Next, Kim Kyung-ae, a research fellow at LG Electronics Software Center, shared LG Electronics' current status of SW supply chain security management and demonstrated FOSSLight. Lastly, Lee Ik-seop, head of the Digital Safety Division at the Korea Internet & Security Agency, presented ▲ an introduction to supply chain security ▲ the current status of domestic supply chain security promotion ▲ directions for domestic SW supply chain security promotion ▲ and future plans.

Park Yoon-gyu, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, who presided over the discussion, stated, “With the spread of mobile, Internet of Things, and cloud, and the normalization and popularization of remote, branch office, and telecommuting work, the existing boundary-centered security system is facing great challenges,” adding, “We will establish a security system covering the entire supply chain including SW development, distribution, and operation, and actively support overcoming trade barriers for domestic companies’ overseas expansion.”