Resilience of supply chains to cascading effects from the digital space

Smooth processes in supply chains (SCs) are essential. An analogue or digital disruption leads to delays in production, storage and/or transport. The resulting bottlenecks can jeopardise the entire provision of services to the population. Organisations as well as authorities are accordingly dependent on goods, energy or services reaching the population within a certain time. In order to (1) make the process flow from order to delivery more transparent, (2) minimise expenses and (3) be able to react more efficiently and resiliently to market fluctuations, SC participants are increasingly offering their services in the digital space. However, the basic structure of SCs is not designed to survive in this highly networked, digital environment without sufficient protection. Repeatedly, attacks are perpetrated on the IT of supply chains, causing them to be severely disrupted or even completely blocked. One of the most well-known cases, called ShadowPad, from 2017 shows that attacks on SCs are undoubtedly among the most dangerous modern attack vectors. The Sophie project aims to increase the resilience of value chains and their infrastructures and actors and addresses the following questions: 1) Mapping of specific components of relevant SCs taking into account digital influencing factors. 2) Simulation of digital attack vectors on SCs and their processes with regard to specific infrastructure areas; modelling of location problems and implementation of solution algorithms in order to evaluate potential supply locations with regard to their suitability for ensuring the optimal supply of all users in the event of a crisis. 3) Analysis of cascade effects and feedback processes with regard to critical infrastructures and supply-relevant organisations as striking use cases. 4) Validation and conception of general awareness trainings for key personnel in specific critical infrastructure areas. 5) Expanding the focus of the digital space to include cyber-physical systems (CPS) - analysing the potential impact of a digital crisis on society.