The Vendor You Trust Could Be the Backdoor Into Your Business

You can do everything right on your end. Your network is locked down. Your employees know the basics of cybersecurity. You use strong passwords, maintain backups, and have MFA enabled.

Then someone gets in through a vendor.

Maybe it’s your payroll company. Maybe it’s a marketing agency with access to your accounts. Maybe it’s the HVAC company that can remotely connect to the smart thermostat in your building.

The problem isn’t necessarily that your own security failed. It may be that someone you work with had access that an attacker was able to exploit.

That’s third-party risk, and it’s an issue many small businesses don’t pay enough attention to.

Your Vendors Have Access to More Than You Think

Think about all the companies your business relies on. There are cloud applications, IT providers, accountants, marketing services, payment processors, software platforms, and office equipment that connects to the internet for maintenance or support.

Some of those companies may have access to your systems. Others may have access to sensitive business information. You may not know exactly what they can see or how that access is protected.

That’s where the risk comes in.

A cyberattack doesn’t always begin with the company the attacker ultimately wants to target. A compromised vendor can provide another way in, particularly when that vendor has access to multiple customers.

For a small business, this can be difficult to manage. You may have dozens of vendors, contractors, software providers, and outside services, without anyone specifically responsible for keeping track of their access.

Start With a Few Basic Questions

If you haven’t reviewed your vendor relationships recently, start with the companies that have the most access to your systems and information.

Ask questions such as:

• What systems and data can you access on our behalf?
• Do you still need all of that access?
• What security measures do you have in place?
• Do you require MFA for employees who can access our information?
• What happens if your company experiences a security breach?
• How quickly will you notify us?
• Who within your organization can access our account or data?

You don’t have to conduct a full security audit of every vendor. Start with the five or ten relationships that could cause the most damage if they were compromised.

A Practical Way to Reduce Vendor Risk

You don’t need a complicated vendor-management program to get started. A basic review can make a meaningful difference.

1. Make a list of who has access.
   Include vendors with system logins, remote access, administrative privileges, integrations, or access to sensitive business information. Include former contractors and older accounts while you’re at it.
2. Look at what each vendor can actually access.
   Don’t assume a large company is automatically a greater risk than a small one. A bookkeeping contractor with access to your financial records may present more exposure than a large software provider that only receives limited information.
3. Close old accounts and remove unnecessary permissions.
   Former employees and contractors aren’t the only accounts worth checking. Look for old integrations, unused administrative accounts, and services that your business stopped using months or years ago.
4. Ask vendors about their security practices.
   Find out whether they use MFA, protect data through encryption, control employee access, and have a plan for responding to a breach. Put important answers in writing.
5. Address security requirements when you sign the contract.
   It’s much easier to establish expectations with a new vendor than to convince an existing vendor to change its practices later. Include basic security and breach-notification requirements in new agreements whenever possible.

The Problem Is Growing

The number of outside services connected to a business continues to increase. Cloud applications, automated integrations, AI tools, remote management platforms, and other technologies can make running a business easier, but they can also create additional connections to your data and systems.

And those connections aren’t always visible.

An employee may sign up for a new application to solve a problem and connect it to a company account without anyone realizing that a new third party now has access to business information.

Managing vendor risk isn’t about assuming every vendor is a threat. It’s about knowing who has access, why they have it, and whether they still need it.

If you aren’t sure how many outside companies currently have access to your systems or data, that’s a good place to start.

CMIT Solutions Dayton South can help local businesses identify third-party access, evaluate potential exposure, and put stronger controls in place.

Contact us to start a conversation about your business’s cybersecurity.