Imagine locking up your office at night—security cameras on, passwords updated, alarms set—and then finding out someone snuck in… not through your front door, but by coming in through your main business software.

That’s not fiction. It’s reality for thousands of small businesses across the country.

In 2023, supply chain cyberattacks affected 2,769 entities in the U.S.—a 58% increase over the year before and the highest number since 2017.

The bad guys aren’t wasting time trying to brute-force your firewalls anymore. They’re slipping in through the backdoors your business partners unintentionally leave open. And here’s the part that should really concern you: Most businesses don’t even know it’s happening until it’s too late (or they have no idea it is happening at all).

If you’re like many small business owners we talk to, your team is lean, your time is stretched, and you’re juggling 15 different roles. So, how do you secure a complex web of vendors, apps, and software without hiring a full-time cybersecurity team?

That’s what we’re breaking down today.

Why Your Supply Chain Might Be Your Biggest Blind Spot

You’ve probably put effort into locking down your internal systems. But what about that accounting software with third-party plugins? The marketing platform that has access to your customer lists? The outsourced payroll company?

Each of these is a potential entry point for an attacker—and if even one of them has weak security, it can blow a hole in your defenses.

Here’s the kicker: Over 60% of breaches now come through third parties. Yet only a third of companies say they trust those vendors to actually tell them if something goes wrong. Let that sink in.

Step 1: Map Out Every Vendor You Use (Even the Ones You Forgot About)

• Make a complete list of every vendor, contractor, app, or platform that touches your systems or data.

• Include indirect access too—your vendors’ vendors (think plugins, automation tools, AI tools, etc).

• This list should be reviewed quarterly, not just once a year.

Step 2: Rank Vendors by Risk

Some vendors pose more danger than others. Prioritize:

• Vendors who access customer data, finances, or internal systems.

• Vendors with a history of security issues.

• Vendors who lack strong compliance (complete a vendor audit every year)

Step 3: Keep Doing Due Diligence—Always

• Don’t settle for one-time questionnaires. Ask for real audits, penetration test reports, or evidence of best practices. Even SOC compliance certifications are only a snapshot of compliance at that specific time. We hear of vendors who get their compliance certification and the next day they throw all compliance policies and protections out the window because it is "too hard" to maintain. Don't let your vendor off the hook with a year-old certification, make sure they are actively protecting your data every day.

• If possible, require a third-party audit rather than a self-assessment or questionaire.

• Build security obligations directly into your contracts. If your vendor doesn't have any liability for not protecting your data, then re-think that relationship.

• Monitor vendor activity with automated alerts, especially around logins, file transfers, or new software installs.

Step 4: Trust, But Always Verify

Blind trust in vendors is no longer a strategy. Require:

• MFA (multi-factor authentication) for vendor access.

• Data encryption at rest and in transit.

• Limited access—only to what’s needed.

• Evidence of ongoing security compliance.

Step 5: Adopt Zero-Trust Like It’s 2025

Assume no user or device is safe until proven otherwise. That’s the heart of Zero-Trust. Apply it to vendors too:

• Enforce MFA across all external access.

• Segment your network so vendors can’t move freely.

• Review and update vendor access regularly.

Companies that have implemented Zero-Trust frameworks have reported cutting the impact of third-party breaches nearly in half.

Step 6: Monitor, Test, Respond

• Watch vendor platforms for unusual behavior or unapproved code changes.

• Share threat intelligence with others in your industry.

• Run tabletop exercises and simulate breaches. Catch the cracks before hackers do.

Step 7: Don’t Go It Alone—Outsource What You Can

If reading this list already feels overwhelming, you’re not alone.

qnectU offers managed cybersecurity & compliance services that give you:

• Risk monitoring and login attempts

• Automated alerts for vendor threats

• Real-time incident response from experts

You don’t need to hire a full cybersecurity team to protect your supply chain—you just need the right partner.

Here’s Your Quick Checklist to Lock It All Down:

• ✅ Inventory all third-party vendors AND their partners

• ✅ Classify vendor risk and access levels

• ✅ Require independent audits—not just self-assessments

• ✅ Write security standards into your contracts

• ✅ Implement Zero-Trust across your network

• ✅ Use automated monitoring and alert systems

• ✅ Work with a managed service provider who specializes in vendor auditing (like us)

Final Word: Small Steps Beat Big Headlines

You can’t control what your vendors do behind closed doors—but you can control how much trust you give them and how closely you monitor the connection.

And with the cost of a single third-party breach averaging over $4 million (not to mention brand damage, lost clients, and regulatory fines), this is one of those areas where a little investment goes a long way.

The supply chain doesn’t have to be your weak link. With the right plan—and the right IT partner—it becomes one of your strongest.

Need help securing your vendor relationships? Click here to schedule a quick 26-minute Cyber Risk & Resilience Call, and we’ll walk you through it step by step.

Adapted with permission from The Technology Press: https://thetechnologypress.com/securing-your-supply-chain-practical-cybersecurity-steps-for-small-businesses/