Global ICT Supply Chain Security

International Policy Needs to Secure the Global ICT Supply Chain:
An Innovative Comprehensive Approach

ICT (information and communications technology - or technologies) is an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning. ICTs are often spoken of in a particular context, such as ICTs in education, health care, or libraries. The term is somewhat more common outside of the United States. A global supply chain is a system of international organizations, people, activities, information, and resources from around the world involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer. Supply chain activities transform natural resources, raw materials, and components into a finished product that is delivered to the end customer. This project would focus on the cybersecurity aspects of the of the global ICT supply chain (GICTSC). Securing this supply chain is critical for the advance of global commerce across multiple economic and industrial sectors in addition to having major national security impact on the military-industrial complex of all nations.

This project is decomposed as follows; determine the current state of play for a relevant target subset of the GICTSC; analyze the target in terms of market share, associations, governing authorities both voluntary and mandatory, compliance and enforcement standards, embedded technology issues, interdependent relationships, and other critical factors to be determined; conduct a systematic search for emergent feasible improvements; consider the potential impact of known and imagined disruptive technologies; based on this research describe an ideal goal state for a future GICTSC; develop a high-level implementation plan for a roadmap that would be a bridge to that ideal goal state.   

Project People:
Dr. Ernest McDuffie
[email protected]