Knowledge Network · Sep 10, 2026
Podcast Outtake: Questionnaires are killing us
Third-party risk management is hitting a breaking point: teams face resource constraints while vendor ecosystems explode, and leadership asks for more than cybersecurity alone. Beyond cyber risk, modern vendor risk now i...
Standardized security questionnaires were intended to map to a control framework, not to become a check-the-box compliance activity. When organizations treat questionnaires as paperwork instead of a way to understand a third party’s control environment, assessment fatigue rises for both buyers and vendors, and the results still fail to reflect real-world security. The more questions you ask, the more liability you create because you must review, interpret, and act on the answers. A stronger approach is evidence-based testing and targeted validation that focuses on what you truly need to know. That shift also demands better soft skills: clear writing, direct conversations, and relationship building across procurement, legal, compliance, and cybersecurity so the organization can act on risk rather than collect it.
See the full podcast here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120821/episodes/19713292