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How Do You Determine the Risk Impact of a Vendor?

How Do You Determine the Risk Impact of a Vendor? Vendor risk assessment is an important part of business management. Vendor relationships can deliver value, but they also have risks. A vendor risk assessment is an important step when evaluating the risks your business may be taking with third-party vendors. Such a risk assessment can be about determining the risks your company is exposed to by a vendor’s products and services, or about the vendor potentially mishandling sensitive customer data or even interacting with customers. It’s important for a company to perform due diligence questionnaires and conduct third-party risk assessments when onboarding a new vendor. It’s also important for an organisation to continue performing periodic vendor risk assessments to assure its vendors are maintaining quality standards and don’t introduce any unexpected risks. This article will walk you through what the different types of vendors are and the risks associated with them. You’ll

By |2023-03-30T17:09:15+00:00March 31st, 2022|Blog|Comments Off on How Do You Determine the Risk Impact of a Vendor?

A Business Perspective of Supply Chain Risk

A Business Perspective of Supply Chain Risk Today's supply chains are just as long, complex, and important as the ancient Silk Road. But where the Silk Road became vital to civilisations of the past, modern supply chains could be their downfall, jeopardising functionality and consequently organisations' reputations. In the interconnected, globalised economy, companies are connected to many suppliers and partners through their supply chains. This exposure leads to a plethora of risks that can severely damage a company’s finances, reputation, and future competitiveness. It’s time to understand the challenges and implement a proactive strategy to get on the front foot. Continue reading for a business perspective of supply chain risk. Defining Risk The APICS Dictionary, 14th Edition, defines supply chain risk as “decisions and activities that have outcomes that could negatively affect information or goods with in a supply chain.” In other words, supply chain cyber attacks put organisations at

By |2023-03-30T17:09:15+00:00March 16th, 2022|Blog|Comments Off on A Business Perspective of Supply Chain Risk

Understanding Cyber Risk Exposure for Vendors in Russia & Ukraine

Understanding Cyber Risk Exposure for Vendors in Russia & Ukraine It was only 60 years ago when the world feared a global nuclear war. Fortunately, we made it through that period. But with geopolitical tensions at an all-time high, the risk of a devastating global cyber war is becoming more and more likely. This is why each of us needs to do our part to reduce cyber risk. Understanding cyber risk exposure for vendors in Russia and Ukraine should be a priority for all businesses with vendors in those countries. Recently, the United States (US)  and other countries imposed sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. These sanctions have sparked a considerable amount of concern, especially surrounding the issue of cyber attacks on US organisations and those based in allied countries. These are uncertain times, but many experts predict that the attacks will be wide-ranging. They'll involve ransomware and

By |2023-03-30T17:09:15+00:00March 10th, 2022|Blog|Comments Off on Understanding Cyber Risk Exposure for Vendors in Russia & Ukraine

The Business Case for Risk Quantification for Third Parties

The Business Case for Risk Quantification for Third Parties With so many technologies out there, companies need to be smart with how they invest. When it comes to cyber security, if you're not investing in it, you're risking your own success. Cyber security requires monetary investment and attention to implementation due to the new data privacy regulations, ballooning risk registers, and an increased frequency of security breaches. Although the field of cyber security is saturated with risks, businesses are often forced to make difficult choices when it comes to security. Quantification of risk can help assess the value of a project using statistical modelling of risk and expected loss. This common framework ranks all prioritised decisions based on their financial value, making risk management more manageable. Here we make the business case for risk quantification for third parties. Why are Cyber Security Breaches so Damaging? It's a harsh reality –

By |2023-03-30T17:09:15+00:00March 3rd, 2022|Blog|Comments Off on The Business Case for Risk Quantification for Third Parties

Will conflict in Ukraine raise the risk of cyber attacks in other countries?

  Will conflict in Ukraine raise the risk of cyber attacks in other countries? In a nutshell, the general consensus is, yes. Conflict in Ukraine will raise the risk of cyber attacks in other countries. If as is expected, the situation in Ukraine escalates to all out conflict, we can expect significant offensive cyber operations against Ukrainian government, utility and industrial targets and targets beyond Ukraine as well. Not NotPetya again? As we saw in 2017 with the NotPetya Ransomware campaign, which was aimed at Ukrainian companies via a popular local accounting software platform, that was widely attributed to Russian threat actors in the wake of the Crimean peninsula annexation, cyber attacks can spread in an uncontrolled manner, even when the threat actor is not specifically targeting a wider audience. NotPetya ended up seriously affecting the business operations of hundreds of companies around the world, including A.P. Møller-Mærsk (who

By |2023-03-30T17:09:15+00:00February 13th, 2022|Blog|Comments Off on Will conflict in Ukraine raise the risk of cyber attacks in other countries?

Data Privacy and the Future of Business

Data Privacy and the Future of Business 2021 was a watershed year in terms of business data use. And 2022 is likely to be another. Therefore, it is imperative that businesses put their best foot forward when it comes to data privacy.  Let's take a look at data privacy and the future of business. These few steps can help businesses make significant strides in developing better privacy habits. With the global big data market set to be worth nearly $235 billion by 2026, to say that data is now core to business success today would be a massive understatement. From tweaking shipping strategies to delivering more relevant advertising campaigns to customers, businesses are constantly looking for ways to make more data-driven decisions. But with this access to consumer data comes great responsibility. And unfortunately, in many consumers’ eyes companies are not doing all they can to make sure that their

By |2023-03-30T17:09:31+00:00February 10th, 2022|Blog|Comments Off on Data Privacy and the Future of Business

How to Take Back Control of Your Data

How to Take Back Control of Your Data From social media to online shopping, our lives and the digital world become more and more intertwined everyday. And while the digital world has afforded us a whole new level of convenience and access to information, it is imperative that consumers remember the best practices for protecting their personal data and ensuring it is being used the right way. Here's how to take back control of your data in a few steps: learn to better manage your personal information, make informed decisions around your data and understand how it is being used. By 2020, it was estimated that 1.7 MB of data was generated by every individual worldwide every second. This includes data about an individual’s activities, behaviours, and interests. Data comes in many forms; there is personal data, like social security and driver’s license numbers and there is physical data, like

By |2023-03-30T17:09:32+00:00February 2nd, 2022|Blog|Comments Off on How to Take Back Control of Your Data

Prioritizing Cyber Security in a Hybrid Workplace

Prioritizing Cyber Security in a Hybrid Workplace In this day and age, employees are more connected than ever. The hybrid workplace is here to stay, and for employees, this means relying on connected devices from their home office setups. According to recent data, smart home systems are set to rise to a market value of $157 billion by 2023, and the number of installed connected devices in the home is expected to rise by a staggering 70% by 2025. In this new normal where smart devices and consequently online safety are a must, here are some tips for securing those devices. Remember smart devices need smart security Make cyber security a priority when purchasing a connected device. When setting up a new device, be sure to set up the privacy and security settings on web services and devices bearing in mind that you can limit who you are sharing information

By |2023-03-30T17:09:32+00:00October 27th, 2021|Blog|Comments Off on Prioritizing Cyber Security in a Hybrid Workplace

Be Cyber Smart this Cyber Security Awareness Month

Be Cyber Smart this Cyber Security Awareness Month Every October, Cyber Security Awareness Month continues to raise awareness about the importance of cyber security around the world. Led by the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), Cyber Security Awareness Month shares messages and weekly themes of the importance of staying safe online. The evergreen theme - Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart – encourages individuals and organisations to own their role in protecting their part of cyber space, stressing personal accountability and the importance of taking proactive steps to enhance cyber security. Throughout the past year and a half, our already virtual world depended even more on the Internet. Organisations and individuals like you moved more online than ever before - to socialize, to conduct business, and to simply have fun. While an increased online presence can be positive, Cyber Security Awareness Month encourages

By |2023-03-30T17:09:32+00:00October 6th, 2021|Blog|Comments Off on Be Cyber Smart this Cyber Security Awareness Month

Human Behavior. Your Biggest Cyber Security Risk?

Human Behavior. Your Biggest Cyber Security Risk? Data breaches, theft, and corruption are an unfortunate reality of the digital world. However, have you ever thought about human behavior? Could it possibly be your biggest cyber security risk? In this era, cyber criminals have created a perfect environment to access sensitive data and assets. They use many different techniques, such as social engineering and phishing, to gain information from unsuspecting people. In order to fight this, businesses need to take a person-centric approach to cyber security. In addition to technical measures for protection, they also need to have a process-based approach to security by educating their employees on the dangers of giving up private information too easily. At Elasticito, we believe employees are your biggest asset in preventing these crimes, but you do need to know how your employees handle data in order to minimise security risks. Understanding employees' data handling

By |2023-03-30T17:09:32+00:00September 22nd, 2021|Blog|Comments Off on Human Behavior. Your Biggest Cyber Security Risk?