# Manifest Joins Athena Coalition to Enhance Software Security

Manifest Cyber has joined the Chainguard-led Athena coalition to advance open-source software supply chain security by rapidly identifying vulnerabilities across software products, including first-party, third-party, and binary components. This collaboration leverages AI-driven tools to assess and mitigate risks in critical software systems used in sectors such as defense, healthcare, and automotive. Procurement professionals and government contractors can engage with these advanced solutions to strengthen software supply chain risk management and ensure compliance with evolving cybersecurity expectations.

- **Why this matters:** The coalition's broad industry participation, including major firms like JPMorganChase, Morgan Stanley, and Cisco, signals a coordinated effort to address open-source vulnerabilities that impact critical infrastructure and government systems.
- Agencies and contractors should evaluate opportunities to integrate AI-powered vulnerability detection and remediation tools into their software acquisition and risk management processes.
- This development indicates increasing demand for secure software supply chains, creating potential procurement avenues for cybersecurity and software assurance providers.
- Organizations can leverage Manifest Cyber's expertise and coalition resources to enhance protection of software-dependent systems, aligning with federal cybersecurity initiatives and compliance requirements.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology, Defense & Military
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** September 28, 2026

### Vendors
- Manifest Cyber (prime contractor)
- Chainguard (coalition leader)
- JPMorganChase (coalition member)
- Morgan Stanley (coalition member)
- Cisco (coalition member)

### Key Quotes
> Athena is effectively using powerful AI models to identify and patch vulnerabilities in open-source projects. For developers, bringing in hardened packages is straightforward. But those packages run inside medical devices, network hardware, cars, and other critical technologies that power our society. Manifest's involvement in Athena will address that exact gap: making it easy to take action on those disclosed vulnerabilities, identify affected systems, and ensure organizations, and the people they serve, are protected.
> — Daniel Bardenstein, CEO of Manifest

> We built Athena because orchestrated defense is the only thing that keeps pace with AI-powered attacks. No single defender can cover the entire open-source ecosystem alone. Manifest illuminates open-source risk inside first-party, third-party and AI products, bringing a uniquely valuable contribution to Athena.
> — Naveen Sharma, Global Vice President of Partnerships, Chainguard

### Sources
- [Manifest Joins Chainguard's Athena Coalition to Find Open-Source Risk Inside Software Products](https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/manifest-joins-chainguards-athena-coalition-171500141.html) - Yahoo Finance Australia
- [Manifest Joins Chainguard's Athena Coalition to Find Open-Source Risk Inside Software Products](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260928244061/en/Manifest-Joins-Chainguards-Athena-Coalition-to-Find-Open-Source-Risk-Inside-Software-Products) - businesswire.com