Who owns cyber risk in third-party relationships? In this episode of Third Party, we tackle one of the most urgent questions facing security leaders today: who is actually accountable for third-party risk when something goes wrong? If you’re a CISO, risk leader, or executive trying to avoid blame, regulatory fallout, or career-ending mistakes, this conversation delivers clarity you can act on immediately.
Hosted by Jeffrey Wheatman, Bob Maley, and Ferhat Dikbiyik, this episode breaks down the real difference between ownership, responsibility, and accountability in third-party cyber risk. The hosts unpack why CISOs are often blamed for risks they don’t own, how boards and executives should be involved, and why documenting risk decisions matters more than ever as regulators and courts increase scrutiny. This discussion explains how misaligned risk ownership leads to firings, fines, and failures—and how to prevent that inside your organization.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- How to define ownership vs. accountability in third-party cyber risk
- Why CISOs should inform risk, not silently absorb it
- Who actually owns financial risk when vendors fail
- How to document risk acceptance so it doesn’t come back on you
- Why regulators and boards are forcing clearer risk decisions
- How to communicate third-party risk in business and financial terms
Don’t risk being the one blamed when a third party breaches your ecosystem. Learn how to clearly assign ownership, document accountability, and protect both your organization and your career—before the next incident forces the issue.