CISA Gives ICT SCRM Task Force More Time to Accomplish Year 2 Goals

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has given the Information and Communications Technology Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force a six-month extension to continue the work that it set out to do in 2020.

The extension, which runs through July, gives the task force more time to accomplish work outlined in a year two progress report published by CISA, including the release of the Working Group 2 Threat Scenarios Report and other upcoming working group products. 

It will also ensure the continued collaboration between government and industry members on ongoing public-private partnerships around the supply chain, CISA said.  

The Year 2 report, which was released last year, highlighted the progress made by the Information and Communications Technology Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force in solving challenges tied to information sharing, threat analysis, qualified bidder and qualified manufacturers lists, vendor assurance and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Some of the task force’s achievements as of December include developing a reference material to address legal obstacles to information sharing and updating the Threat Evaluation Report. The task force was also able to analyze the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, visualize ICT supply chain routes and identify chokepoints. Among other things, the group came up with a template for conducting SCRM compliance assessments and internal evaluations of alignment to industry standards. 

Robert Mayer, a co-chair of the task force, welcomed the extension, saying that it is high time for the task force to double down on its work as supply chain threats continue to become increasingly complex and pervasive.