Building a Trusted Supply Chain: The Threats and Challenges Ahead
On December 16, 2020, The AUWCL Tech, Law and Security Program hosted a presentation and panel discussion about the Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s new white paper, "Building a Trusted ICT Supply Chain," which was released on October 19, 2020. Jennifer Daskal, TLS Faculty Director and AUWCL Professor of Law, presented Jim Langevin, U.S. Congressman for Rhode Island’s Second District, who provided an introduction to the initiative. Prof. Daskal then moderated a follow-up panel discussion with Robert Morgus, Senior Director, Cyberspace Solarium Commission, and David Simon, Chief Counsel, Cybersecurity & National Security, U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission, and a Partner at Mayer Brown LLP.
The Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s white paper highlights the threats that emanate from dependencies on China and other countries that may be following policies adverse to the U.S. These threats also undermine the trustworthiness of critical technologies and components that constitute and connect to cyberspace. The dependency also risks impairing the availability of these same critical technologies and components and compromises American and partner competitiveness in global markets in the face of Chinese economic expansion.
Through the white paper, the Commission proposes five main areas of action to address these security challenges. Specifically, the Commission provides a roadmap and recommendations focused on
(1) Identifying key technologies and equipment through government reviews and public-private partnerships to identify risk;
(2) Ensuring minimum viable manufacturing capacity through both strategic investment and the creation of economic clusters;
(3) Protecting supply chains from compromise through better intelligence, information sharing, and product testing;
(4) Stimulating a domestic market through targeted infrastructure investment and ensuring the ability of firms to offer products in the United States similar to those offered in foreign markets; and
(5) Ensuring global competitiveness of trusted supply chains, including American and partner companies, in the face of Chinese anti-competitive behavior in global markets.
In addition, the white paper specifies eight supporting recommendations to build trusted supply chains for critical ICT technologies, including guidance to conduct a public-private collaborative process to identify goods and materials critical to the continual function of the economy, society, and government. The paper also supports reinvigorating American high-tech manufacturing and innovation with partner nations to ensure continual availability of these goods and materials. In addition, the white paper recommends strategic investment by the government to ensure American companies continue competing domestically and globally.
For more information and full access to the white paper, click here.
For the entire panel discussion, click here.