Vendor Access Control Questionnaire Template

A vendor access control questionnaire template is a standardized DDQ that evaluates how third parties manage physical and logical access to their systems, data, and facilities. It typically includes 40-60 questions covering authentication methods, access provisioning/deprovisioning, privileged access management, and access monitoring—directly mapping to SOC 2 CC6.1-CC6.8 and ISO 27001 A.9 controls.

Key takeaways:

• Standard templates cover 5 core domains: identity management, authentication, authorization, access reviews, and physical security
• Questions directly map to SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, and GDPR Article 32 requirements
• Risk-tier your vendors first—critical vendors need all 60+ questions, low-risk vendors only need 15-20
• Evidence collection should include policies, access matrices, termination logs, and MFA enrollment reports
• Common failure point: most vendors lack documented access review processes

Access control failures remain the #1 cause of third-party breaches, with compromised vendor credentials responsible for a significant number of supply chain incidents in 2023. Your vendor access control questionnaire serves as the primary tool for identifying these vulnerabilities before they become your incident.

The challenge? Generic security questionnaires bury access control questions across multiple sections, making it impossible to get a clear picture of vendor maturity. You need targeted questions that map directly to your control framework, produce quantifiable risk scores, and generate specific remediation requirements.

This template consolidates access control requirements from SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, and PCI DSS into a single assessment instrument. Each question links to specific control objectives and includes guidance on acceptable evidence types. The modular design lets you scale assessments based on vendor criticality—use all 60+ questions for infrastructure providers, or extract the 20 core questions for low-risk SaaS tools.

Core Template Structure

Section 1: Identity and Access Management Program (8-10 questions)

Start with governance fundamentals. You need evidence of documented IAM policies, defined roles and responsibilities, and executive oversight. Critical questions include:

Policy and Procedures

• Request the current access control policy with revision date
• Verify policy covers joiner/mover/leaver processes
• Confirm annual policy review cycle with board approval

Access Request Process

• Document approval workflows for standard and privileged access
• Validate segregation between requestor and approver
• Review sample access request tickets from last 90 days

Control Evidence Requirements Map responses to SOC 2 CC6.1 (logical and physical access controls) and ISO 27001 A.9.2.1 (access control policy). Accept only dated policies signed by CISO or equivalent. Screenshot of wiki pages = automatic fail.

Section 2: Authentication Controls (12-15 questions)

Authentication represents your first line of defense. Focus questions on technical implementation rather than policy statements:

Password Requirements

• Minimum complexity: 12 characters, 3 of 4 character types
• Rotation frequency (90 days for privileged, 180 for standard)
• Password history enforcement (minimum 12 generations)

Multi-Factor Authentication

• MFA enforcement scope (all users, privileged only, or risk-based)
• Acceptable factors (FIDO2, TOTP, SMS, biometric)
• Bypass and exception procedures
• Recovery and backup authentication methods

Evidence Collection Request screenshots of authentication settings from directory service. For cloud providers, demand tenant configuration exports. MFA enrollment reports should show >a large share of coverage for passing grade.

Section 3: Authorization and Access Control (15-20 questions)

This section determines how vendors implement least privilege and segregation of duties:

Role-Based Access Control

• Role definition methodology and approval process
• Maximum number of roles per user
• Privileged role assignment criteria
• Role mining and optimization frequency

Privileged Access Management

• PAM solution deployment (CyberArk, BeyondTrust, Thycotic)
• Just-in-time access capabilities
• Session recording and monitoring
• Break-glass procedures

Application-Level Controls

• API access management and key rotation
• Service account governance
• Database access restrictions
• File share permissions

Scoring Methodology Weight PAM questions 3x for critical vendors. No PAM solution = automatic high-risk rating for infrastructure providers. SaaS vendors can compensate with strong RBAC and audit logging.

Section 4: Access Reviews and Termination (10-12 questions)

Stale access creates your biggest exposure. Questions must validate both process and execution:

Periodic Access Reviews

• Review frequency (quarterly for privileged, semi-annual for standard)
• Review artifacts and attestation records
• Automated vs manual review processes
• Certification completion rates

Termination Procedures

• Maximum time from termination to access revocation (target: <4 hours)
• Checklist of systems requiring deprovisioning
• Shared account password rotation upon termination
• Evidence: Pull 5 random terminations from last quarter

Contractor and Third-Party Access

• Distinct accounts for contractors vs employees
• Time-bound access with automatic expiration
• Sponsor revalidation requirements

Section 5: Physical Access Controls (8-10 questions)

Often overlooked in cloud-first environments, physical access remains critical for data center and office locations:

Facility Security

• Badge reader types and standards (proximity, smart card, biometric)
• Visitor management and escort requirements
• Data center access lists and approval process
• Security camera coverage and retention periods

Environmental Controls

• Rack and cage locking mechanisms
• Key management procedures
• Clean desk policy enforcement
• Media handling and disposal

Industry-Specific Considerations

Financial Services

Add questions on:

• SWIFT access controls and segregation
• Trading system entitlements
• PCI DSS requirement 7 and 8 compliance
• GLBA safeguards for consumer data access

Healthcare

Include HIPAA-specific items:

• Minimum necessary access implementation
• Workforce sanction procedures
• Encryption for data at rest and in transit
• Break-glass access for emergency situations

Technology and SaaS

Focus on:

• API authentication methods (OAuth, API keys, JWT)
• CI/CD pipeline access controls
• Production environment restrictions
• Customer data isolation mechanisms

Implementation Best Practices

1. Risk-Tier Your Assessments Don't send 60 questions to every vendor. Create three tiers:

• Critical (50-60 questions): Infrastructure, security tools, core business systems
• High (30-40 questions): Data processors, professional services
• Standard (15-20 questions): Marketing tools, non-data touching services

2. Set Clear Evidence Expectations Define acceptable evidence types upfront:

• Policies: Signed PDF with version control
• Configurations: Screenshots with timestamps or system exports
• Logs: Sample reports covering 30-90 day periods
• Attestations: Signed by authorized personnel on company letterhead

3. Automate Scoring and Workflow Build scoring logic that automatically:

• Calculates risk ratings based on control gaps
• Triggers escalations for critical findings
• Generates remediation requirements with deadlines
• Schedules reassessments based on risk scores

4. Map to Your Control Framework Every question should trace to specific controls:

• SOC 2: CC6.1 through CC6.8
• ISO 27001: A.9.1 through A.9.4
• NIST 800-53: AC-1 through AC-25
• PCI DSS: Requirements 7 and 8

Common Implementation Mistakes

1. Accepting Vague Responses "We follow industry best practices" = unacceptable. Demand specific technical configurations, actual screenshots, and quantifiable metrics.

2. Ignoring Access Review Evidence most vendors claim quarterly reviews but can't produce artifacts. Always request:

• Review initiation emails
• Completed review worksheets
• Change tickets from review findings
• Management sign-off documentation

3. Overlooking Service Accounts Human access gets attention while service accounts run wild. Include questions on:

• Service account inventory and ownership
• Password/key rotation schedules
• Monitoring for anomalous usage
• Decommissioning procedures

4. Focusing Only on Production Non-production environments often have production data but weaker controls. Explicitly ask about:

• Dev/test environment access restrictions
• Data masking and anonymization
• Refresh procedures from production
• Contractor access to non-prod

5. Missing Cloud-Specific Controls Traditional questionnaires miss cloud-native risks:

• Cloud console root account protection
• IAM role assumption and federation
• Cross-account access mechanisms
• Kubernetes RBAC implementation

Frequently Asked Questions

How many access control questions should I include in my vendor questionnaire?

Base it on vendor criticality: 50-60 questions for critical vendors (payment processors, infrastructure providers), 30-40 for high-risk vendors (data processors, security tools), and 15-20 core questions for standard vendors (marketing tools, office supplies).

What evidence should I require to verify MFA implementation?

Request MFA enrollment reports showing percentage of users enrolled, configuration screenshots from identity provider, and examples of MFA bypass procedures. Accept nothing less than the majority of enrollment for critical vendors.

How do I score vendors who lack a formal PAM solution?

For infrastructure providers and critical vendors, lack of PAM = automatic high risk. For SaaS vendors, they can partially compensate with strong RBAC, comprehensive audit logging, and documented privilege access procedures with approval workflows.

Should I use the same questionnaire for cloud and on-premise vendors?

No. Cloud vendors need additional questions on tenant isolation, API security, IAM roles, and cloud console access. On-premise vendors need deeper coverage of physical security, network segmentation, and traditional Active Directory controls.

How often should I reassess vendor access controls?

Critical vendors: annually with quarterly attestations. High-risk vendors: annually. Standard vendors: every 2-3 years or upon significant change. Any vendor with critical findings: reassess within 90 days of remediation.

What's the minimum acceptable password policy I should require?

12 characters minimum, complexity requirements (3 of 4 character types), 90-day rotation for privileged accounts, 180 days for standard users, and 12-generation password history. Anything less fails modern compliance frameworks.

How do I handle vendors who claim SOC 2 Type II covers access controls?

SOC 2 reports often use sampled testing and may not cover your specific use case. Extract the relevant CC6 controls from their report, but still require answers to role mining, access reviews, and terminated user procedures specific to your engagement.