Across today’s interconnected business landscape, organizations are increasing their reliance on third-party vendors and service providers to streamline operations, reduce costs, and access specialized services and expertise. This increased dependency on third parties introduces significant organizational risks, including data privacy violations, operational disruptions, reputational damage, supply chain attacks, and devastating data breaches.

With third-data breaches and their subsequent financial impacts on the rise, Third-Party Risk Management is becoming a non-negotiable inclusion in an organization’s cybersecurity strategy. For those new to this risk management area, this post outlines a high-level framework for applying TPRM principles to a third-party risk context. Learn how UpGuard streamlines Vendor Risk Management >

Third-party risk assessments identify, evaluate, and mitigate potential risks that third-party vendors might introduce into business operations. These processes form the foundation for a proactive risk management program, meeting regulatory requirements while safeguarding organizational assets and preventing reputational damage. Cyber risk assessments help identify any security hazards that could potentially disrupt operations and the supply chain.

A Third-Party risk assessment is a critical component of a Third-Party Risk Management program. Without understanding how to properly execute these assessments, the efficiency of your TPRM program will remain limited. This post provides a detailed six-step guide for performing third-party risk assessments in cybersecurity.

The right choice of Third-party risk assessment software will automate risk assessment workflows and boost the efficiency of your Third-Party Risk Management program. This post reviews the top eight contenders in the TPRM and supply chain risk management market to help you make the right choice for your third-party cybersecurity objectives.

Universities are increasing their reliance on third-party providers for various services, such as electronic health records, telehealth platforms, insurance billing, and mental health support. While these partnerships enhance business operations and save valuable time, they also introduce significant cybersecurity risks.

In today’s modern business environment, nearly every organization partners with at least one third-party vendor or external service provider. Third-party service providers (web-hosting platforms, software-as-a-service companies, and other businesses that provide technology or services as part of a contract) allow organizations to focus on their primary business processes while reducing operational costs.

The simultaneous proliferation of outsourcing and increased interconnectedness of modern businesses has caused the third-party risk management (TPRM) landscape to evolve significantly over the last few years. Establishing a robust TPRM program is no longer just about managing risk across your organization’s third-party ecosystem or gaining an edge over your competitors.

A third-party risk assessment pulls risk vendor risk data to help cybersecurity teams understand how to best mitigate supplier risks. Though the field of Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) is evolving to prioritize compliance, security, and supply chain risk, third-party risk assessments could also be used to uncover an organization’s exposure to financial, operational, and reputational risks stemming from its third-party network. Learn how UpGuard streamlines Third-Party Risk Management >

Third-party data breaches are growing in prominence across the healthcare sector. In 2022, 55% of healthcare organizations suffered a third-party data breach, exposing the personal healthcare data of millions of individuals to malicious actors. To combat this, healthcare organizations must implement third-party risk management strategies as part of HIPAA requirements to protect patient data and prevent these devastating data breaches.

You understand the importance of a Vendor Risk Management strategy in mitigating the impact of third-party data breaches. However, you’re still unsure about its application to different vendor cyber risk contexts. To help you bridge this application gap and leverage the complete benefits of a Vendor Risk Management process, this post outlines three common examples of vendor security risks and how a VRM program could be tailored to address them. Learn how UpGuard streamlines Vendor Risk Management >

Vendor Risk Assessment processes form the core of a Vendor Risk Management program. As such, the efficiency of a VRM program is ultimately dependent on the design of its risk assessment processes. This post guides you through the design of an efficient vendor risk assessment framework in six steps. By implementing this framework, you can establish an efficient risk assessment workflow built upon a scalable process foundation. Learn how UpGuard streamlines vendor risk assessments >

If you’re new to vendor risk assessments, this article includes a real-life example of service provider risk assessment, helping you understand their structure and the details they entail. Learn how UpGuard streamlines vendor risk assessments >

Election security is one of the most important parts of an election in order to preserve voter safety, prevent voter fraud, and, ultimately, build public trust in the electoral process. Because of the many external pieces that must come together during the election process, election organizers must use and implement effective Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) as part of their security strategy.

Higher education institutions are a growing target for cybercriminals due to the high volume of sensitive information and data they collect and use. From enrollment to matriculation, colleges and universities utilize student data for everything from financial aid packages to determining eligibility for coursework. According to a report by Check Point Research, the education sector (specifically higher education) has experienced significantly more cyber attacks than any other industry in recent years.

The EU Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox is a framework developed by the European Union to enhance its ability to prevent, deter, and respond to malicious cyber activities that may threaten its external security. The European Commission adopted the Toolbox in 2017 as part of the EU's broader strategy to promote a global, open, stable, and secure cyberspace.

The Utah State government passed the Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA) in March 2022, scheduling the law to go into effect on December 31, 2023. Utah is the fourth state in the United States to pass a state privacy law. Compared to preceding US privacy laws, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), and Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), the UCPA has a narrower scope, making the law more friendly to businesses and data controllers.