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Supply chain attacks have emerged as the most prevalent cyber threat facing businesses worldwide over the past year, according to a new global study conducted by Kaspersky. The findings reveal that nearly one in three companies globally, and 22% of companies in Egypt, confronted a supply chain-related threat in the last 12 months.

Recent data from the World Economic Forum indicate that nearly two-thirds (65%) of large enterprises identify third-party and supply chain vulnerabilities as their most significant barriers to cyber resilience in today’s interconnected digital landscape. The Kaspersky-commissioned study examined how these risks are evolving and the extent to which organizations worldwide are exposed.

The survey shows that 31% of enterprises globally, and 22% in Egypt, were impacted by supply chain attacks, surpassing all other types of cyber threats. Large enterprises reported the highest exposure, with 36% experiencing such attacks compared to medium and small enterprises.

High-exposure organizations also manage the largest number of software and hardware suppliers, averaging around 100, creating an extensive potential attack surface. Furthermore, they grant system access to dozens of contractors—over 130 in high enterprises compared to around 50 in smaller companies—heightening the risk of trusted relationship attacks, where attackers exploit legitimate organizational connections.

Globally, one-quarter of companies (25%) experienced trusted relationship attacks last year. Turkey (35%), Singapore (33%), and Mexico (31%) saw the highest rates, while in Egypt 23% of companies were affected, and the Middle East overall reported 22%.

Sergey Soldatov, Head of Security Operations Center at Kaspersky, commented: “In today’s digital ecosystem, every connection, supplier, and integration becomes part of our security profile. As organizations grow more interconnected, their exposure to attacks grows as well. Protecting modern enterprises requires an ecosystem-wide approach that strengthens the entire network of relationships sustaining business operations.”

Kaspersky recommends preventive measures for mitigating supply chain risks, including thorough supplier evaluation, contractual security requirements, adoption of advanced cybersecurity practices such as zero trust, continuous infrastructure monitoring, incident response planning, and collaborative security efforts with suppliers.