Leah Dodson

expert panel

Third-party technology tools promise efficiency, scale and all the digital bells and whistles execs need to keep productivity humming and power growth—but not all tools are created equal. Cloud platforms, SaaS productivity suites, niche workflow apps and industry-specific managed services can all introduce unseen risk when they plug into core systems. However, in many companies, third-party risk management continues to fly under the radar—even though 30% of enterprise data breaches involve a third party. From misaligned encryption standards and unclear data flows to vendors that treat compliance like a box-checking exercise, there are significant risks that can come with working with third-party vendors and SaaS tools. As experts in enterprise cybersecurity strategies, data breach prevention, risk management and regulatory compliance, the members of the Senior Executive Cybersecurity Think Tank know that to operate on trust when working with tech vendors is to court disaster. Below, three of them share the details to dig into before entering into a partnership with a third-party vendor or software provider.