Third-party Cybersecurity Incident Response Readiness Plan

Software supply chain flaws help attackers scale

Given recent massive one-to-many breaches like MOVEit, a company’s ability to respond effectively to supply chain vulnerabilities is critical. Software supply chain flaws help threat actors scale, and attackers will go directly through your vendors if they can’t access your systems.

Are your response plans up to par? A cybersecurity breach alone doesn’t equal a disaster, but mishandling one does. 

Let’s dissect third-party cyber incident response. Our MAX team, comprised of SOC analysts, threat hunters, and incident responders, offers actionable strategies and best practices. Here’s what we cover: 

• Operationalize with precision: Follow along with a step-by-step guide to ensure your software supply chain vulnerability response efforts are streamlined and effective, minimizing downtime and damage.
• Vendor communication process: Learn how to plan for seamless internal and external communication when a Zero Day is discovered. Timely and transparent communication is key to maintaining trust and integrity amidst the chaos of a supply chain cyber crisis.
• Lessons from the trenches: Read real-world scenarios handled by our Incident Response team, gaining insights into the tactics, strategies, and outcomes that define effective supply chain cyber risk management. 

Why is third-party incident response important? 

A company’s attack surface goes beyond its internal networks and technologies — it consists of its vendors, vendors’ vendors, customers, and partners. In 2023, SecurityScorecard, in partnership with the Cyentia Institute, conducted research that showed 98% of organizations have a relationship with at least one third-party vendor that was breached in the past two years. 

Third-party cyber risk underlines why an organization’s security posture is only as strong as its weakest link. Surprisingly, many companies do not continuously monitor their vendor ecosystem or have a supply chain cyber incident response plan.

In cybersecurity, speed is key to managing damage. An effective response plan can limit the amount of time an attacker has to attack more targets. 

Recognize that cybersecurity transparency is no longer a “nice to have” but a “must-have”

Follow along as SecurityScorecard breaks down each step of the third-party incident response process into action items your team can follow. 

Ready to elevate your cybersecurity resilience? Download the Incident Response Playbook.