CISO Oversight of Cyber Supply Chain Risks
The CISO is responsible for managing risks in their organisation's cyber supply chain.
Plain language
The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) needs to keep an eye on any risks that come from working with other companies or suppliers in relation to cyber security. This is really important because if a supplier has poor security, it can lead to stolen data, financial losses, or reputational harm to your organisation.
Framework
ASD Information Security Manual (ISM)
Control effect
Proactive
Classifications
NC, OS, P, S, TS
ISM last updated
Sept 2020
Control Stack last updated
19 Mar 2026
E8 maturity levels
N/A
Guideline
Guidelines for cyber security rolesTopic
Working With SuppliersOfficial control statement
The CISO oversees cyber supply chain risk management activities for their organisation.
Why it matters
Without CISO oversight of supply chain risk, supplier weaknesses may go unmanaged, leading to breaches, data theft, and reputational and financial harm.
Operational notes
Have the CISO set a cadence for supplier risk reporting, approve risk acceptances, and ensure supply chain risk assessments are updated when vendors or services change.
Implementation tips
- The CISO should identify key suppliers: Make a list of all the companies your organisation relies on for technology and data services. This includes companies that provide software, hardware, or data processing services.
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Askpotential suppliers how they secure their systems and data
- The IT team should monitor supplier access: Keep track of any access to your systems that suppliers have. Set up alerts for unusual access patterns or changes in system access.
- The management team should develop a risk management plan: Work with the CISO to create a plan that outlines how your organisation will handle potential security issues with suppliers. This plan should include steps for different scenarios, like a data breach.
- Suppliers should be included in incident response exercises: Collaborate with suppliers during cyber security drills to ensure they know how to respond to incidents. This helps improve coordination in case of a real security event.
Audit / evidence tips
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Askthe list of key suppliers: Request the document that lists all suppliers important for your organisation’s IT services
Goodincludes an up-to-date list with all suppliers' names, services, and contacts
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Asksupplier security assessments: Request reports or records of the security evaluations conducted on suppliers
Goodshows regular reviews with action points addressed
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Askmonitoring logs of supplier access: Request the logs that show how and when suppliers access your systems
Goodincludes comprehensive logs with regular reviews and responses to any issues
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Askto see the risk management plan for supplier-related risks: Request the document outlining your organisation’s approach to handling supplier risks
Goodincludes a detailed plan with dates and responsible persons noted
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Askto see records of incident response exercises involving suppliers: Request documentation that proves suppliers participate in incident response tests
Goodincludes reports on completed exercises with supplier roles clearly defined
Cross-framework mappings
How ISM-0731 relates to controls across ISO/IEC 27001, Essential Eight, and ASD ISM.
ISO 27001
| Control | Notes | Details |
|---|---|---|
| layers Partially meets (4) expand_less | ||
| Annex A 5.19 | ISM-0731 requires the CISO to oversee the organisation’s cyber supply chain risk management activities | |
| Annex A 5.20 | ISM-0731 requires CISO oversight of cyber supply chain risk management across the organisation | |
| Annex A 5.21 | ISM-0731 requires the CISO to oversee cyber supply chain risk management activities for their organisation | |
| Annex A 5.22 | ISM-0731 requires CISO oversight of cyber supply chain risk management activities | |
| sync_alt Partially overlaps (1) expand_less | ||
| Annex A 8.30 | Annex A 8.30 requires the organisation to direct, monitor and review outsourced system development activities so security is maintained w... | |
These mappings show relationships between controls across frameworks. They do not imply full equivalence or certification.