Cybertrust tackles business partner security

Nearly three quarters of firms regard business partners as increasing their security risks

Managed security firm Cybertrust is launching a programme to enable companies to audit security across a network of business partners. 

The Partner Security Programme is a web-based service for companies to assess and manage the security levels of their suppliers, customers and other associates which connect to their corporate network. 

A recent survey, conducted by Cybertrust among line-of-business and security managers in 200 organisations worldwide, revealed that nearly three quarters of respondents regarded their business partners as increasing their security risks.

A third had experienced a security 'event' as a result of a business partner's lax security.

But only 19 per cent of organisations had conducted any kind of security assessment prior to connecting to their business partner for the first time.

John Holland, senior vice president for Europe at Cybertrust, told vnunet.com that the reason so few organisations vet their partners is the time, effort and expense of signing up a third-party security firm to conduct an audit.

Hence the attraction of the Partner Security Programme, according to Holland, which automates the process.

The programme was developed to help customers understand and manage the risks of doing business, providing customers with a single view of the status of internal business units, external partners and other entities performing compliance validation activities via a web-based dashboard.

Organisations are also able to demonstrate to customers, partners, auditors and regulators that they have performed effective due diligence on third parties.