Hey there! Let's chat about something called "Supply Chain Agreement Review". I know, I know, it sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry. But trust me, it's actually pretty important stuff!

Where did this come from?

This little gem comes from the CSA Cloud Controls Matrix v4.0.10 - 2023-09-26. You can download the full version at https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/artifacts/cloud-controls-matrix-v4 if you're looking for some light bedtime reading.

Who should care?

If you're a Vendor Manager, Procurement Officer, or Contract Administrator working with cloud service providers, this one's for you! Especially if you're responsible for making sure your company's cloud agreements are being followed.

What is the risk?

Not reviewing your supply chain agreements regularly could lead to all sorts of headaches. Your cloud provider might not be delivering the level of service they promised, which could impact your business operations. Or maybe they're not meeting their security or compliance obligations, putting your data at risk. In a worst case scenario, you could end up in breach of contract without even realizing it!

What's the care factor?

On a scale of "meh" to "holy cow this is important", I'd rate this one a solid 7. It's not the most exciting task, but it's definitely worth putting some time and effort into. Proactively identifying and resolving issues with your cloud provider can save you a lot of stress (and potentially money) down the track.

When is it relevant?

Annual supply chain agreement reviews make sense for any organization using cloud services, especially if those services are critical to your business. However, if you're just using a couple of small SaaS apps with minimal data, it might be overkill. Use your judgment!

What are the trade offs?

Reviews take time and effort, which means pulling resources away from other tasks. There's also a potential cost if you need to engage legal counsel to help with the review. But in my opinion, it's a small price to pay for the peace of mind that your cloud agreements are in good shape.

How to make it happen?

1. Start by creating a schedule for annual reviews of all your cloud service agreements. Put it in your calendar so you don't forget!
2. Dust off those contracts and SLAs and give them a thorough read-through. Make note of any key requirements or service levels.
3. Over the course of the year, keep an eye on your cloud provider's performance. Are they delivering what they promised?
4. When review time rolls around, pull together any relevant data on your provider's service levels, security incidents, etc.
5. Go through each agreement line by line and compare it to reality. Are there any discrepancies or areas of non-compliance?
6. If you spot any issues, reach out to your account rep or customer success manager to start the discussion.
7. Work with them to come up with a plan to get things back on track. You may need to renegotiate certain parts of the agreement.
8. Document the results of the review and any corrective actions. Share with relevant stakeholders.
9. Pat yourself on the back for being a responsible cloud customer!

What are some gotchas?

Make sure you have a solid understanding of the terms of your agreements before starting the review. If you're not sure about anything, engage your legal team for help interpreting the legalese.

You'll also need access to data on your cloud provider's actual performance. This might involve pulling reports from various monitoring tools or ticketing systems. Make sure you have the necessary permissions to access this data.

What are the alternatives?

Some organizations hire third-party firms to conduct their supply chain agreement reviews. This can be a good option if you don't have the internal expertise or bandwidth. Just be prepared to open your wallet!

You could also consider implementing automated monitoring tools to keep tabs on your cloud provider's performance throughout the year. This can help you spot potential issues early, rather than waiting for the annual review.

Explore further

If you want to dive deeper into supply chain risk management, check out the CSA's "Consensus Assessments Initiative Questionnaire" (CAIQ). It's a great resource for evaluating the security posture of your cloud providers.

The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework) also has some relevant guidance in the "Supply Chain Risk Management" category.

And if you really want to nerd out, take a look at the related CIS Control #15: "Service Provider Management". It goes into even more detail on managing third-party risk.

That's all folks! Happy reviewing!

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