Supply Chain Resiliency Isn’t Just Logistics Anymore—It’s Counterintelligence

Most companies still treat supply chain risk as a logistics problem. In reality, it's an intelligence problem.

Whether it’s state-sponsored sabotage, IP theft through third-tier vendors, or politically motivated chokepoints, modern supply chains are being actively targeted-not just disrupted by chance. The organizations who survive disruption aren't the ones with the fastest trucks. They're the ones who map and mitigate adversarial intent.

Your Supply Chain Is a Soft Target

In 2024, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) explicitly warned that foreign adversaries were targeting U.S. supply chains to compromise critical technologies and data-often without direct cyber engagement (ODNI).

The Department of Homeland Security echoed that, forming the Supply Chain Resilience Center (SCRC) to focus not on logistics0but on identifying geopolitical pressure points, foreign dependencies, and embedded risks (DHS).

MITRE took it further, publishing a counterintelligence-informed framework designed to map adversarial influence and risk across the full supply chain lifecycle-from source country to contract negotiation (MITRE).

Why Your Existing Vendor Audits Aren’t Enough

Your due diligence probably focuses on financials, basic cybersecurity posture, and maybe ESG metrics. That’s not enough.

What you're likely missing:

• Who really owns your vendors and sub-vendors

• Which government policies can force their compliance under foreign law

• Where intellectual property, sensitive data, or continuity of operations can be silently compromised

These aren’t technical gaps—they're intelligence blind spots.

Cheshire’s Approach: Counterintelligence-Led Resiliency

At Cheshire Institute, we approach supply chain resiliency as a counterintelligence mission. That means:

• Mapping threat actor access and intent—not just risk scores

• Identifying vulnerable links that can be weaponized, not just might be

• Advising leadership teams on proactive mitigation, replacement strategies, and internal early warning indicators
  

Because if you're just reacting to the next port shutdown or vendor failure, you're already behind.