March 31, 2022//Tori Taylor
Last Updated: June 02, 2022Third-party vendors have been causing quite the stir when it comes to their involvement in data breaches. This involvement means that a hacker can infiltrate a larger network (like a large enterprise) through the access that’s given to an external vendor who connects remotely. And numbers show that things haven’t improved: according to a recent report, over half of organizations experienced a data breach caused by a third party.
Holes in third-party vendor security continue to lead to major data breaches, ransomware continues to surge with emphasis on supply chains and critical infrastructure, and companies continue to use insecure methods like RDP or VPN for third-party remote access connectivity on their network.
If a hacker targets one of your third-party vendors, it could impact the security of your entire IT infrastructure and put all the sensitive data on your network at risk. Hackers tend to attack smaller, third-party vendors because they generally have fewer security controls than their bigger business partners.
You might not even know that you’re as vulnerable as you are if you don’t have the right tools in place. But, you’re not alone. 64% of organizations don’t have confirmation that their third parties have specific security practices in place like firewalls, employee security training, pen testing, etc.
Third-party vendor risk refers to any risk incurred on an organization by external parties like service providers, vendors, suppliers, partners, or contractors. These external parties pose a risk due to their access to internal company systems, data, and other privileged information.
Risks associated with third-party vendor security are never going away. As long as there’s a connection between an external party and an internal network, there’s going to be risk.
Any way you look at third-party vendor security, there are going to be gaps; the simple act of granting external access is a risk. But, there are third-party vendor management best practices to keep your company and your data as secure as possible.
All it takes is one vendor to cause a third-party data breach. If your third parties are using an insecure access method (like VPNs, desktop sharing tools), it doesn’t matter how amazing and secure a vendor is, no matter their reputation — their access isn’t going to protect you from a data breach.
The first step in managing third-party vendor security is being selective about which vendors you choose, and then tightening those endpoints to reduce your security risks with strong access control measures.
Start by creating an inventory of all vendors and identify what data they have access to. Make sure they’re using a secure and controlled remote access tool; if they’re using an insecure remote access method like VPN or RDP, chances are they have too much access to your network.
Next, make sure your third-party vendors’ internal controls are in line with your organization; the more aligned in security, the better. Lastly, ensure your vendors have third-party vendor management policies and procedures in place to ensure your company is in compliance with the latest regulatory requirements.
Once you’ve inventoried your third parties and their security posture, it’s also important to have regular security audits, reports, and monitoring for your own internal use, as well as for external auditors. Regular auditing and reporting will allow you to gain visibility into all actions taken by vendors.
Monitoring the what, when, and how of third-party access will enable you to identify and address any vulnerabilities immediately. This might sound complex, but flexible automation of these processes will help save you time and money and improve your workflow while keeping your organization secure.
The easiest way to accomplish this is to have an access management platform that automates it all and allows for secure remote access and support.
Identifying your third-party vendors and their access points, aligning security measures, and deploying access monitoring are all great steps, but they’re nothing if effective security controls aren’t in place.
You’ll want to take full control over the varying degrees of access you offer to third parties and what data each individual can see on your network. Lack of oversight into what suppliers and outside parties can see on your network increases your third-party vendor risk. But, taking control of your vendor access to critical assets will help improve third-party vendor security.
This is where zero trust network access (ZTNA) comes into play. Though vendors might seem trustworthy, there’s a reason ZTNA exists. Make sure your access controls align with the framework’s “never trust, always verify” methodology. It’s a concept that removes any implicit trust, regardless of who is accessing and what is being accessed.
Since no one is trusted in this model, insider and outsider access need to be verified and authenticated each time a user logs into a system. This minimizes exposure to any other part of your network and prevents lateral movement so hackers who make their way in are contained and can’t contaminate any other part of your network.
This step also includes vetting, authenticating, and verifying the identity of each vendor who’s granted access to critical systems and data. Adding controls like multi-factor authentication ensures that the person logging into your vendor’s remote access connection is the same person who owns that account.
Fine-grained access controls give an additional layer of security by putting time limits on when third-party reps are allowed to access your network. As a general rule of thumb, the more controls, the better, especially with a streamlined platform specifically built for third parties.
Just one weak link in your network could lead to a potential security disaster. A third-party data breach could cause your organization financial loss, regulatory issues, and damage to your reputation. But secure connectivity can protect your organization and reduce third-party vendor risk. Make sure you have the right controls and rules in place with this Secure Connection checklist.