Security isn’t a checkbox; it’s a moving target. Vendors need to meet defined standards not just at onboarding but continuously. Establish clear contractual obligations tied to security SLAs and regular compliance audits—trust but verify. Engage vendors with detailed security questionnaires aligned to industry frameworks (ISO 27001, NIST). Demand transparency on breach history, patching cadence, and incident response protocols. Leverage risk-based scoring to quantify gaps and push corrective actions. If a vendor can’t align with evolving security requirements, the partnership becomes a liability, not an asset.

IT security should be treated with the same rigor as airline safety standards. Regardless of status, wealth, or affiliation - whether it's a vendor, VIP, or the airport owner - everyone must adhere to established processes and safety protocols.

This can vary depending on the vendor and the security standards set by the company, but here are a few considerations: - Provide a security questionnaire - Ensure they meet compliance with an industry standard (ISO, NIST, CIS, etc.) - Perform periodic assessments of their security posture through an audit - Demand a history of data breaches in the company (and what steps were taken to eliminate the root cause) - Maintain transparency (within reason) Vendor risk management is a crucial pillar of information security. Every vendor is a new avenue for attackers, and should be carefully considered when engaging in business.

To ensure vendors meet security standards, I'd implement the following: Detailed security requirements: Clearly defined in contracts. Rigorous vendor assessments: Including audits and questionnaires. Continuous monitoring: For ongoing compliance. Right to audit clauses: within contracts. Compliance with industry standards: such as ISO 27001, and NIST.

To ensure vendors meet security standards, I set clear requirements in contracts, conduct thorough assessments, and implement regular audits. Continuous monitoring and transparent communication ensure ongoing compliance and alignment with security expectations.

Clear Service level Objectives, cadency meetings, match the compliance rewuirements, engage the government plan with the vendor.

"Trust, but verify" 🎯Develop tiered vendor security questionnaires based on data access levels 🎯Create standardized security clauses for all vendor contracts 🎯Implement vendor risk scoring system with minimum threshold requirements 🎯Establish right-to-audit clauses with specific testing methodologies 🎯Require vendors to provide SOC2 reports or equivalent certifications 🎯Deploy continuous monitoring tools for vendor connection points 🎯Create joint security incident response procedures with key vendors 🎯Implement vendor security performance dashboards for stakeholders 🎯Establish quarterly vendor security reviews for critical service providers 🎯Develop competitive security benchmarking between similar vendors

There is no debate when it comes to security. Either comply with strict security measures for the safety of the company and the companies they work with or part ways. This is a much safer bet than being in a legal battle due to a security breach.

All the nuts and bolts are already stated by others; I would add that it's fundamental to understand that security levels are determined by industry best practices and the current state of technology. So, whatever that standard turns out to be, it is, by definition, only a MINIMUM standard, that one should be pleased to comply with, because the standard is necessarily always on the rise. It is a fundamental and critical component of competence and professionalism in any position that must access an enterprise network.

As a vendor, IT is crucial to have empathy with the customer needs. You should have several meetings with the customer, so it is clear you understand the customer’s expectations. You have also to ensure your product meets the security standards that needed for that industry. This is an evolving process, that starts at the development side of the product