Vendor risk doesn’t stop after the contract is signed—ongoing monitoring and relationship management are critical for maintaining visibility and accountability. In this episode, we explore how organizations track vendor performance through periodic assessments, SLA reviews, compliance reports, and security questionnaires. We highlight how to use continuous monitoring tools and threat intelligence feeds to detect vulnerabilities in vendor software or public disclosures of breaches. Rules of engagement must be defined upfront to allow for security audits, breach reporting, and real-time notifications about changes to services or infrastructure. We also discuss the importance of communication—building trusted, transparent relationships with vendors helps ensure faster incident coordination and better mutual security outcomes. Managing vendors is not just risk control—it’s partnership stewardship.