Security Blog

Securing Your Service Providers: A Guide to Risk Management

Arturs Smirnovs

Nearly 60% of businesses have experienced a data breach caused by their service providers. For example, a prominent credit reporting agency, Equifax, experienced a significant data breach in 2017 because of a software weakness in its service provider. This tragedy alone affected more than 147 million people.

These startling statistics and real-life examples shed light on the importance of vendor risk management associated with third-party vendors. Thus, it is paramount to safeguard your organization against potential threats posed by service providers, as outsourcing and partnerships are commonplace.

Cybersecurity expert Bruce Schneier once said, "Security is a process, not a product." This idea is particularly relevant when dealing with third-party risks, as being vigilant and taking preventative action can indicate vulnerability and resilience.

This blog will explore the risks associated with service providers and offer best practices for securing them. Hence, this will equip you with the knowledge to protect your business from evolving threats.

Read along to protect your company from potential threats!

Understanding Service Providers & Risk Management

Addressing the relationship between service providers and risk management is critical for safeguarding organizational assets and reputation. According to the Ponemon Institute's "Data Risk in the Third-Party Ecosystem" research, 56% of companies have suffered a data breach caused by a third-party vendor. Thus, this data highlights companies' inherent risks when relying on other parties to perform vital functions.

Service providers play integral roles in modern business operations like:

Offer specific knowledge and abilities to enhance internal resources.
Utilize economies of scale and competitive pricing to provide cost savings.
Allow for scalability by modifying services in response to demands and expansion of the business.
Use innovative ways to promote creativity and technological progress.
Expand business reach by making global markets and networks more straightforward to access.

However, relying on service providers also brings potential risks, including:

Data breaches and cybersecurity threats
Compliance failures
Operational disruptions

Thus, effective risk management techniques should extend beyond internal controls, including rigorous examination, tracking, and mitigation of third-party risks.

Furthermore, enterprises increasingly use frameworks like the Shared Assessments Program and the ISO 27001 standard to evaluate vendor security processes. Hence, this will ensure compliance with their risk tolerance and regulatory requirements.

Thus, third-party risk management allows businesses to:

Enhance resilience
Protect sensitive data
Uphold trust with customers and partners

Top 4 Security Risks Associated with Service Providers

Relying on service providers for critical operations has numerous benefits. However, it also introduces serious security vulnerabilities. If these are not managed effectively, they can lead to devastating consequences such as data breaches, regulatory non-compliance, and operational disruptions. These can severely impact a company's reputation and financial stability, underscoring the urgency and importance of managing service provider risks.

Here's a list of the top 4 security risks associated with service providers:

1. Sensitive Data Access

Access to sensitive data, such as bank records or client information, is frequently necessary for service providers to carry out their duties. Unapproved access or exploitation of sensitive data can result in data breaches, penalties from regulators, and a loss of consumer trust if vendor risk management is not followed.

Impact of sensitive data access on the company:

Potential loss of sensitive information
Regulatory penalties for non-compliance
Damage to reputation and loss of customer trust

2. Inadequate Security Controls

Service providers with insufficient security controls may lose strong procedures for detecting threats, reacting to incidents, and practicing general cybersecurity hygiene. This makes the company more susceptible to cyberattacks, which could lead to lost data, interrupted services, and harm to the company's reputation in the event of a breach.

Impact of inadequate security controls on the company:

Increased risk of cyber incidents
Longer response times to security threats
Higher financial and operational implications if breached

3. Lack of Transparency

Certain service providers may withhold information about their data processing procedures, security policies, or adherence to industry standards. Thus, organizations find it difficult to evaluate and confirm their service providers' security posture due to this lack of transparency. This, in turn, will raise the possibility of unforeseen security events and compliance problems.

Impact of lack of transparency on the company:

Limited visibility into data handling practices
Difficulty in assessing compliance with data security guidelines
Increased uncertainty and potential security gaps

4. Poor Communication

Effective communication is required for rapid risk assessment, incident reporting, and collaboration between the company and its suppliers. An organization's ability to detect security flaws and react quickly to occurrences may need better communication. This lack of communication could worsen the effects of security breaches.

Impact of poor communication on the company:

Slower incident response times
Higher costs associated with resolving breaches
Reduced effectiveness in handling security-related incidents

As such, a proactive strategy for vendor risk management is necessary to control these risks. This approach should include:

Comprehensive due diligence
Frequent audits
Unambiguous contractual agreements
Continuous service provider performance monitoring

By taking these proactive steps, businesses can regain control over their security and mitigate potential risks.

Organizations can avoid these threats and improve their cybersecurity by following data security guidelines and legal obligations like the NIS2 regulation. This can be achieved by putting strong security measures in place and encouraging open lines of communication.

Managing Security Risks Related with Service Providers

Managing security risks that are related to service provider is critical to protecting your organization's data security guidelines and operations. By taking action against possible risks and implementing robust procedures, you can strengthen security and guarantee that your company complies with security standards.

For instance, you can find and address such vulnerabilities before they become significant problems by routinely monitoring your providers' security procedures.

Here are some tips for managing security risks associated with service provider:

Conduct Thorough Due Diligence

Proper due diligence involves thoroughly investigating a service provider's inherent risk levels before onboarding. This means collecting evidence through security questionnaires, certifications, and IT security scans.

Benefit:

Ensures awareness of the service provider's risk profile before engagement.
Helps decide if resources needed to mitigate risks are justified.

Avoid Outsourcing All Security Resources

Managed security services (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs) are useful for performing certain cybersecurity responsibilities. Nevertheless, internal cybersecurity initiatives ought to complement these services rather than replace them.

Benefit:

Maintains internal visibility and control over sensitive data handling.
Reduces the risk of downtime and ensures compliance with service level agreements (SLAs).

Establish a Vendor Risk Management (VRM) Program

Implementing a VRM program is crucial to continuously monitoring and handling vendor-related security risks throughout the lifecycle. Thus, this program includes smooth-running audits and compliance checks against industry standards and regulations.

Benefit:

Ensures vendor risks remain within acceptable levels.
Enhances efficiency in identifying and remediating compliance gaps.

Adopt Cybersecurity Frameworks and Regulations

Reconciling with established cybersecurity frameworks (such as NIST and PCI DSS) facilitates identifying and efficiently remedying compliance holes. As such, it provides a systematic way to improve comprehensive cybersecurity resilience and lessen risks related to service providers.

Benefit:

Enhances cyber threat resilience by addressing compliance gaps.
Facilitates prioritization of remediation efforts based on the impact of security posture.

Implementing these diligent tactics can help organizations improve their vendor risk management efforts, reduce security breaches, and uphold customer and partnership credibility.

ResilientX: Transforming Risk Management

It can be challenging to look after the security risks associated with third-party vendors due to the following reasons:

Manual processes
Fragmented information
Limited visibility

But here's the best thing: ResilientX addresses these issues head-on, providing a unified exposure management platform designed to simplify and improve your third-party risk management (TPRM) efforts.

Conventional TPRM processes include manual tasks and scattered information. As such, it is very challenging to maintain control & visibility over vendor risks. Nonetheless, ResilientX is here to change that with:

Automated Onboarding and Risk Data Collection:

ResilientX streamlines the vendor onboarding process by utilizing automated workflows that assist suppliers in supplying crucial risk data. Advanced analytics provide complete risk evaluations, enabling informed decision-making and eliminating the need for documentation.

Time-saving Automation:

ResilientX automates tedious activities like spreadsheet maintenance and document monitoring, freeing up critical time for your team. This enables them to concentrate on critical projects and give top priority to high-risk vendor management.

Continuous Monitoring and Actionable Insights:

We constantly scan vendors for threats to ensure proactive risk management. Comprehensive data and easily navigable dashboards provide a comprehensive picture of third-party risks. As a result, it enables prompt detection of high-risk suppliers and prompt action.

Takeaway

It is critical to manage the different kinds of security risks that service providers cause. This is done to protect the integrity of the company. Thus, the incidence of data breaches and compliance issues needs proactive measures such as extensive due diligence, effective vendor risk management processes, and compliance with cybersecurity guidelines. As such, it will be simpler for businesses to mitigate vulnerabilities, secure robust & sensitive data, and maintain trust with stakeholders by implementing these strategies.

With ResilientX, businesses can improve their resilience against growing threats and guarantee compliance with industry standards. Don't let third-party risks hold you back – Request a ResilientX demo today!

FAQ

1. Why is it important for you to secure your service providers?

Securing your service providers is crucial to protect your sensitive data, ensure compliance with regulations, and prevent potential breaches that can impact your business operations.

2. What steps should you take to evaluate the security of a service provider?

You should evaluate their security policies, conduct audits, review compliance certifications, check for incident response plans, and assess their data protection measures.

3. How often should you review your service providers' security measures?

You should review your service providers' security measures at least annually or whenever there are significant changes to their services or your business requirements.

4. What are common risks you might face with third-party service providers?

Common risks include data breaches, non-compliance with regulations, service interruptions, and insufficient data protection practices.

5. How can you ensure continuous monitoring of your service providers' security?

You can implement continuous monitoring tools, establish regular communication channels, and set up periodic audits and assessments to ensure ongoing compliance and security.