Zachary Kvale

written by Chris Cunnane with InterSystems   Supply chains have never been more complex or more exposed to disruption. From geopolitical instability and extreme weather to labor shortages and shifting demand, organizations are operating in a constant state of uncertainty. In this environment, basic visibility is no longer enough. Companies need the ability to monitor products in motion, understand their history, and act quickly on reliable data. That is where track and trace becomes essential. Track and trace technology enables organizations to follow products across the supply chain in real time and trace their full history from origin to destination. It connects data from barcodes, RFID tags, IoT sensors, telematics systems, and enterprise applications into a unified view. When supported by a modern data platform, this information becomes more than operational detail. It becomes a foundation for smarter decisions.   Move from Visibility to Action Many organizations have invested in visibility tools, but visibility alone does not solve problems. Knowing that a shipment is delayed is useful; knowing how that delay will affect downstream production, customer commitments, and inventory levels is far more valuable. Track and trace capabilities, when paired with analytics and decision intelligence, help companies shift from reactive…

In July, what is being called the “largest IT outage in history” grounded air cargo and travel and caused “substantial disruptions” to the networks of such supply chain giants as FedEx and UPS. While cybersecurity company CrowdStrike blamed the worldwide outage on a “software update” and not a cyberattack, the event illustrates the importance of taking measures to safeguard the supply chain systems we all rely on for the movement of goods and people. Cybersecurity is Paramount in Digital Supply Chain A Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report published in October 2023 said that “bad actors are using more sophisticated tools and techniques to exploit vulnerabilities in digital networks, and weak points can be difficult to detect. Companies with established cybersecurity capabilities are being compromised through less sophisticated third parties that are connected to their network.” Today’s Supply Chain Remains Vulnerable to Cyberattacks According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the number of organizations targeted by supply chain cyberattacks skyrocketed by 2,600% between 2018 and 2023. Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report said there was a 68% year-over-year leap in the amount of “supply chain interconnection” involved in cyber breaches. Among high-profile cyberattacks affecting the supply chain: In December 2020, Forward…