How to Scale TPRM for Success in the 2026 Agenda

The demands on modern security programs are accelerating at an unprecedented pace. As we shared in our previous post, The 2026 Vendor Risk Agenda: CISO-Led Insights, security leaders are navigating a landscape defined by rapid AI feature deployment, vendor sprawl, and heightened board scrutiny.

We know your team is working hard to keep up. However, the operational reality for many programs is that relying solely on manual processes has reached its limit. The volume and complexity of vendors today mean that a traditional, calendar-based approach simply can’t provide the coverage and speed you need.

Let’s explore how the strategic adoption of automation transforms these challenges into a defensible, efficient TPRM program—positioning you for success in 2026 and beyond.

Addressing Shared Challenges with Modernization

1. The Criticality of AI and the Speed Challenge

The financial stakes of overlooking vendor risk are rising dramatically. The interconnected supply chain has become the path of least resistance for attackers, creating a high-risk environment amplified by AI.

CISO Insight on AI Risk:

"Every SaaS provider is pushing AI features silently into their product. If you don’t ask, they won’t tell you."

This underscores the urgency of proactive controls, given the high stakes:

Data Point: Third-party vendor and supply chain compromise was the second most prevalent attack vector and the second costliest attack vector in 2025, with an average breach cost of $4.91 million. (Source: IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report, 2025)

2. The Failure of the Annual Assessment Cycle

When an incident occurs, speed is everything. Your ability to quickly identify and contain a breach directly correlates to the final cost.

CISO Insight on Assessment Cadence:

"A lot can change in 10 months — new sub-processors, new AI features, new vulnerabilities. Annual cycles don’t capture any of it."

This sentiment confirms that the old method is structurally incapable of delivering timely security. A manual program can only provide a "point-in-time" assessment, which simply is not fast enough to reduce exposure:

Data Point: Data breaches with identification and containment times under 200 days cost organizations $3.87 million on average. Those with resolution times over 200 days cost $5.01 million. (Source: IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report, 2025)

This statistic directly supports the need to shift toward a signal-based, event-driven approach enabled by automation.

3. The Mandate for Financial Risk Quantification

Today's C-suite and Board members require risk metrics framed in business impact, not just security jargon.

CISO Insight on Board Reporting:

"Boards don’t want dashboards and risk ratios. They want financial exposure, operational impact, and likelihood of disruption."

Automation is essential for providing this level of executive-ready data.

Analyst Insight: CISOs must frame risk through business impact, financial risk, systemic exposure, and strategic trade-offs. The necessary tools for this strategic governance include continuous risk scoring and cyber risk quantification. (Source: Cybersecurity Compass, 2025)

The Solution: Empowering Your Team with AI-Enabled TPRM

The path to solving these challenges is to empower your security team with tools that automate the drudgery and enhance their expertise.

CISO Insight on Scale and AI:

"More SaaS, more AI, more integrations… and the same-size team? Without AI, you drown."

The good news is that investment is growing to address this: 45% of TPRM leaders stated that continued investment in technology, automation, and data for TPRM is important (Source: Deloitte Third-Party Risk Management Survey, 2023).

This investment pays clear dividends by building an operationally resilient, cost-effective security program.

Maximizing Analyst Expertise

The goal of modernization isn't replacement; it's elevation. Automation tools—which automatically ingest documents, map evidence, and flag deviations—free up your team to focus on critical risk judgment.

CISO Insight on the Role of Automation:

"Automation doesn’t replace analysts. It elevates them."

This is why automation delivers significant ROI: organizations that use security AI and automation extensively for data breach prevention report an average cost savings of $2.2 million versus those that don't (Source: Derived from IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report, 2025).

Moving Forward Together

The pressures of 2026 are real, but they also present an incredible opportunity to evolve and elevate your TPRM function. By adopting automation, you are not just mitigating risk; you are building a program that is smarter, more defensible, and ultimately, a powerful strategic asset to your entire organization.

We're here to help you navigate this essential modernization.