The Ascending Priority of Cybersecurity in Global Supply Chains

This IDC Perspective examines why cybersecurity has reemerged as a top priority for supply chain leaders and how this trend aligns with the rapid adoption of AI and autonomous decision-making in logistics and manufacturing. Drawing on recent IDC supply chain and CIO surveys, this report explores the evolving threat landscape, highlights the most pressing cyber-risks to physical supply chains, and assesses how IT/operational technology (OT) convergence, partner ecosystems, and operational data foundations shape organizations' readiness for AI-augmented security operations."As AI moves from pilots to production, cybersecurity has become a structural prerequisite for scaling automation across logistics and manufacturing. Highly automated supply chains are only as resilient as their weakest partner," says Stephanie Krishnan, associate VP for supply chain. "AI-driven security outcomes depend on operational data quality. Without credible IT/OT visibility, even advanced cyber tools cannot reliably protect the supply chain."