Attack Readiness

Your vendors have access
to your data. Do you trust their security?

Objective assessment of your vendors' security posture. From policy review to technical API testing. Supply chain risk managed with evidence.

Request an assessment 24/7 Incident Hotline

What is a vendor security assessment?

You know your vendors access your data, network, or processes. You have supply chain obligations under NIS2, ISO 27001, or customer requirements. You get an objective, evidence-based assessment of each vendor's security posture that you can use in your third-party risk management programme. The assessment scales from document review to full technical testing, based on the vendor's risk profile.

About this service

Vendor Security Assessment: your risk, their security

Your vendors have access to your data, your network, or your processes. Their security is your risk. A vendor security assessment evaluates the security posture of your vendors, partners, and third parties in an objective and structured way.

The assessment can range from a document review to a full technical test. Based on the vendor's risk profile (how critical is their role, what data do they process, what access do they have), the right approach is determined. Not every vendor requires the same depth.

The team assesses policy, processes, and technical measures. Does the vendor have a documented information security policy? Are there incident response procedures? How are access rights managed? And for technical connections: is the API secure, is data encryption in order, is network access limited? You receive an objective assessment usable in your vendor management, compliance reporting, and risk assessment processes.

Why this matters

Three supply chain risks that bypass your own security controls

  • Vendor breaches become your breaches

    A vendor with access to your systems or data is an indirect attack path to your organisation. The most sophisticated internal controls cannot protect data that is processed by an insecure third party.

  • NIS2 and ISO 27001 require supply chain security

    Regulators hold you accountable for the security of your supply chain, not just your own environment. Demonstrating vendor risk management requires evidence, not assumptions.

  • Questionnaires are not assessments

    Self-assessment questionnaires produce answers vendors want to give. An independent assessment produces evidence of what is actually in place, including gaps that questionnaires never reveal.

What gets assessed

Scope of the vendor security assessment

Information security policy and certifications
Access management procedures and technical controls
Data processing and privacy (GDPR compliance)
Incident response procedures
Business continuity and disaster recovery
Technical connections (APIs, VPN, direct network access)
Subcontractors and fourth-party risks
Contractual security agreements
Methodology

How DEFION conducts a vendor security assessment

01

Risk classification

Determining the vendor's risk profile based on data access, network access, and criticality to business operations.

02

Document review

Assessment of security policies, certifications, SOC 2 reports, and other available documentation.

03

Questionnaire and interview

Targeted questions about security practices with follow-up interviews for clarification.

04

Technical review (optional)

Assessment of technical connections, API security, and network access based on risk profile.

05

Gap analysis

Comparison of vendor practices against relevant standards (ISO 27001, NIS2, SOC 2).

06

Reporting

Vendor risk assessment with risk score, findings per domain, and recommendations for risk mitigation.

What you receive

Deliverables

  • Vendor risk assessment with risk score
  • Findings per assessment domain
  • Gap analysis against relevant standards
  • Recommendations for risk mitigation
  • Input for vendor management programme
Target audience

Who is a vendor security assessment for?

Any organisation that relies on third parties to process data or provide services needs to understand the security risks those vendors introduce.

  • Organisations with a vendor management programme or TPRM (Third-Party Risk Management)
  • Companies that need to comply with NIS2 supply chain security requirements
  • Organisations dependent on critical IT vendors
  • Companies demonstrating ISO 27001 or SOC 2 compliance
Frequently asked questions

FAQ

How do you determine which vendors to assess?
Based on risk classification: which vendors process sensitive data, have network access, or are critical to business continuity? The team helps build a classification model if one does not exist yet.
Can this be set up as an ongoing programme?
Yes. Vendor risk is not a snapshot. The team can set up an ongoing assessment programme with periodic reassessments and continuous monitoring of critical vendors.
What if a vendor does not cooperate?
That is itself a finding. The report documents which information was unavailable and what risks that creates. Contractually, vendors can be required to cooperate with security assessments.
How does this relate to SOC 2 reports?
A SOC 2 report is valuable input but not a replacement for a vendor assessment. SOC 2 does not cover all risks (such as specific technical connections) and the scope is defined by the vendor. A vendor security assessment provides your organisation's perspective.
Are sub-vendors also assessed?
Fourth-party risks are included in the assessment. The team evaluates whether the vendor has adequate controls for managing their own vendors.
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Ready to assess your vendor security risk?

Tell us about your vendors and compliance requirements. We design the right assessment approach.

Request an assessment 24/7 Incident Response