How Executive Order 14028 Is Strengthening Supply Chain Cybersecurity for the Public and Private Sector
What Executive Order 14028 Really Requires of Agencies and Contractors
Executive Order 14028 established updated cybersecurity expectations for federal agencies and their contractors. It marked a shift toward continuous risk visibility, emphasizing the need to verify supply chain relationships, strengthen cloud and software supply chains, and improve information sharing across the public and private sector.
Meeting these goals requires more than policy updates. Agencies and contractors need operational solutions that enable continuous monitoring, support Zero Trust enforcement, and streamline information exchange across their vendor ecosystems.
In May of 2021 President Joe Biden signed EO 14028 following a series of high-profile cyber incidents, including the SolarWinds compromise and attacks on critical infrastructure, which exposed vulnerabilities in federal networks and their vendors.
The order outlines multiple areas of focus, including:
- Enabling threat information sharing
- Implementing Zero Trust and multi-factor authentication (MFA), and securing cloud infrastructure
- Improving security of software supply chains
- Enhancing real-time detection and response capabilities
- Improving organizations’ investigative and remediation abilities
To meet these objectives, agencies must adopt MFA, encrypt data at rest and in transit, and continuously validate access. Software suppliers are expected to follow secure development practices and provide a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM).
The EO directed agencies to adopt Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) initiatives to support proactive detection of cybersecurity incidents to improve Supply Chain Detection and Response (SCDR). It created cybersecurity event log requirements to facilitate improved intrusion detection.
These directives apply not only to federal systems, but also to the broader network of contractors that support them, making visibility across the supply chain a foundational priority.
Why Continuous Monitoring Replaces Periodic Audits
How to Meet Executive Order 14028 in Practice
Periodic audits or risk assessments can leave gaps between check-ins that attackers can exploit. Executive Order 14028 shifts cybersecurity from a compliance checklist to a model focused on continuous readiness. Agencies that maintain continuous visibility across their systems and vendor networks are better equipped to respond to emerging threats.
Continuous monitoring allows organizations to detect issues like misconfigured cloud resources, open ports, or expired certificates before attackers exploit them. Platforms that provide continuous external risk ratings support this mission by identifying weaknesses as they emerge, not months later during an audit or after an intrusion.
SecurityScorecard supports this model through real-time scanning of internet-facing assets across government and vendor ecosystems. SecurityScorecard identifies risks such as leaked credentials, vulnerable web applications, or malware signals. This allows agency teams to prioritize remediation and track improvements over time.
Operationalizing Zero Trust Across the Federal Supply Chain
EO 14028 makes Zero Trust a centerpiece of cyber defense. The model treats every user, device, and system as untrusted until verified. It replaces outdated perimeter defenses with a model that requires constant validation of access.
Federal civilian agencies are required to develop plans to adopt Zero Trust principles across their organizations. This shift requires coordinated efforts between agencies and the private sector, especially when shared infrastructure or vendor systems are involved.
SecurityScorecard complements Zero Trust implementation by enabling organizations to continuously assess the trustworthiness of third parties. The platform monitors external indicators like IP reputation, application security posture, and DNS hygiene. These metrics can inform access policies, support the segmentation of risky assets, or inform decisions about vendor relationships. If a vendor’s security rating drops due to a newly discovered vulnerability, agencies can respond by restricting access or requesting immediate remediation.
By operationalizing Zero Trust through automated assessments and continuous visibility, organizations can adapt to evolving threats without slowing down workflows.
Improving Threat Sharing Between Agencies and Vendors
EO 14028’s objective is to remove longstanding barriers that prevented IT service providers from sharing threat and incident data with federal agencies. These reforms were designed to improve situational awareness, coordinate responses, and accelerate containment efforts after cyber events.
The EO created a Cyber Safety Review Board to bring together federal leaders and private-sector experts to investigate major incidents. It also aims to standardize the reporting of cyber events.
SecurityScorecard aligns with this vision by offering mechanisms for transparent risk communication. Agencies and vendors can share their security ratings and detailed findings with trusted stakeholders through the platform. This common risk language supports faster coordination during active threats.
Early warning systems can also reduce detection-to-response time, which can limit the damage of supply chain incidents.
By removing silos between public and private entities, EO 14028 builds the foundation for collective defense. Tools that promote real-time intelligence sharing are essential to turning that vision into action.
How to Protect Your Supply Chain with Continuous Threat Detection
Executive Order 14028 marks a fundamental shift in how federal agencies and their contractors approach cybersecurity. Its objectives include proactively monitoring risk, Zero Trust adoption, and actionable threat sharing. Meeting these requirements isn’t just about checking boxes. It’s about sustaining real-time visibility across complex supply chains.
SecurityScorecard helps agencies and vendors detect risks early, communicate clearly, and respond faster. By aligning operations with EO 14028, organizations can strengthen national resilience while improving their own cybersecurity performance.
