A ransomware attack on global IT distributor Ingram Micro has sparked concerns about the impact on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where the company plays an important role in technology infrastructure. The attack, carried out by the SafePay ransomware group, disrupted Ingram Micro’s global systems, affecting online ordering, internal tools, and customer services.

This is yet another case where a hacker group has targeted links in the global tech supply chain. The Middle East has seen a spike in ransomware activity, with incidents in the UAE and across the Gulf affecting sectors from healthcare to energy. Previous breaches, such as the 2023 LockBit attack on Etisalat and the ransomware incident at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai in 2022, reveal vulnerabilities in third-party infrastructure.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of robust cybersecurity. As digital infrastructure becomes more interconnected across regions and sectors, any vulnerability, particularly in supply chain providers, can have widespread consequences. Businesses must not only strengthen their own cyber defenses but also hold upstream vendors and partners to the highest security standards. Cybersecurity must evolve from a backend function to a strategic priority, involving top-level decision-makers, to safeguard against increasingly sophisticated threats like ransomware. Moreover, tools must be implemented that give organizations the ability to monitor their entire end-to-end infrastructure, including networks, apps, endpoints, services, cloud instances, and more. Read more about this story on our LinkedIn page