Should security engineers care about transitive supply chain vulnerabilities?

In the realm of software development, transitive dependencies—those dependencies of a project's direct dependencies—pose significant challenges due to their complex and often obscured nature. The 2020 GitHub Octoverse report highlights the extent of this issue, revealing that a JavaScript project with 10 direct dependencies can have an average of 683 total dependencies. These dependencies can introduce supply chain vulnerabilities akin to those in manufacturing, where a defect in one part can disrupt the entire operation. While direct dependencies are typically chosen after careful scrutiny, transitive ones often escape detailed evaluation, making them prime targets for malicious attacks. Version conflicts, licensing issues, and legal challenges further complicate the management of transitive dependencies. Despite the risks, not all vulnerabilities are immediately exploitable, and security engineers must prioritize their efforts, often relying on tools like static and dynamic analysis to determine which parts of a codebase are truly at risk. Ultimately, the challenge lies in effectively managing these vulnerabilities within the constraints of time and resources, ensuring the most critical threats are addressed promptly while balancing the need for comprehensive security.