Vendor Information Security Questionnaire Template

Your vendor security questionnaire is the foundation of third-party risk management. Without a structured template, you're stuck sending different questions to each vendor, manually comparing responses, and hoping you haven't missed critical controls.

A properly designed questionnaire does three things: extracts control data efficiently, provides comparable risk metrics across vendors, and satisfies multiple compliance requirements simultaneously. The difference between a 50-question generic form and a tiered, framework-aligned template is measured in weeks of saved effort and reduced audit findings.

This guide covers the exact structure, question categories, and implementation process for vendor information security questionnaires that work across industries and compliance frameworks. You'll get specific control mappings, question examples, and the common mistakes that turn questionnaires into vendor friction points.

Core Questionnaire Structure

A vendor information security questionnaire requires five essential sections, each serving distinct risk assessment purposes:

1. Organizational Security Profile

Start with foundational questions that determine assessment depth:

• Industry classification and regulatory obligations
• Data types processed (PII, PHI, PCI data)
• Service criticality and business impact
• Geographic locations and data residency
• Annual security budget percentage

These responses drive your risk tiering logic. A SaaS provider processing PHI requires deeper assessment than a marketing agency handling public data.

2. Technical Security Controls

Structure technical questions by control domain:

Access Management

• Authentication mechanisms (MFA requirements, SSO support)
• Privileged access management procedures
• Access review frequency and documentation
• Password policy specifications
• Session timeout configurations

Data Protection

• Encryption standards (at rest: AES-256, in transit: TLS 1.2+)
• Key management procedures
• Data classification schemes
• Data retention and disposal methods
• Backup frequency and testing

Network Security

• Firewall configurations and rule review process
• Intrusion detection/prevention systems
• Network segmentation approach
• Remote access controls
• Vulnerability scanning frequency

Application Security

• Secure development lifecycle (SDLC) practices
• Code review processes
• OWASP Top 10 mitigation
• Third-party component management
• Production deployment controls

3. Operational Security Processes

Process questions validate control implementation:

Incident Response

• Incident response plan existence and testing frequency
• Notification timelines and contact procedures
• Forensic capabilities
• Post-incident review process
• Historical incident metrics (last 24 months)

Change Management

• Change approval workflows
• Testing requirements by change type
• Rollback procedures
• Emergency change protocols
• Change success rate metrics

Business Continuity

• RTO/RPO specifications by service
• DR testing frequency and results
• Alternate processing sites
• Data replication methods
• Pandemic response capabilities

4. Compliance and Audit

Compliance questions reduce redundant assessments:

Certifications and Attestations

• SOC 2 Type II report availability and period
• ISO 27001 certification scope and expiry
• HIPAA compliance attestation
• PCI DSS level and validation method
• Industry-specific certifications

Audit and Assessment

• Internal audit frequency and scope
• External assessment types and results
• Penetration testing frequency and remediation timelines
• Vulnerability assessment processes
• Compliance monitoring tools

5. Third-Party Management

Vendors often introduce fourth-party risks:

Subcontractor Controls

• Critical subcontractor identification
• Due diligence requirements for subcontractors
• Contractual flow-down provisions
• Subcontractor monitoring frequency
• Incident notification requirements

Industry-Specific Adaptations

Financial Services

Add questions addressing:

• GLBA safeguards compliance
• FFIEC guidance alignment
• Transaction monitoring capabilities
• Fraud detection mechanisms
• Regulatory reporting processes

Evidence requirements: SOC 1 Type II reports, FFIEC CAT results, regulatory examination summaries

Healthcare

Include HIPAA-specific controls:

• Business Associate Agreement terms
• PHI encryption specifications
• Breach notification procedures (within 60 days per 45 CFR 164.410)
• Minimum necessary access controls
• HIPAA training documentation

Evidence requirements: HIPAA risk assessments, encryption certificates, training records

Technology/SaaS

Focus on:

• API security controls
• Multi-tenancy isolation
• Performance SLAs and monitoring
• Integration security requirements
• Source code escrow arrangements

Evidence requirements: Architecture diagrams, penetration test reports, API documentation

Framework Alignment Strategy

Map questions to multiple frameworks through control harmonization:

Control Area	SOC 2	ISO 27001	NIST CSF	GDPR
Access Control	CC6.1-CC6.3	A.9.1-A.9.4	PR.AC-1 to PR.AC-7	Art. 32(1)(a)
Encryption	CC6.1, CC6.7	A.10.1	PR.DS-1, PR.DS-2	Art. 32(1)(a)
Incident Response	CC7.3-CC7.5	A.16.1	RS.RP-1, RS.CO-1	Art. 33-34
Risk Assessment	CC3.1-CC3.4	A.8.1-A.8.3	ID.RA-1 to ID.RA-6	Art. 32(1)(b)

This mapping allows one questionnaire response to satisfy multiple compliance requirements.

Implementation Best Practices

1. Tier Questions by Vendor Criticality

Create three questionnaire versions:

• Critical vendors (access to sensitive data): 150-200 questions
• Important vendors (operational dependency): 75-100 questions
• Low-risk vendors (minimal access): 25-50 questions

Base tiering on:

• Data sensitivity level
• Business process criticality
• Technical integration depth
• Regulatory impact
• Financial exposure

2. Specify Evidence Requirements

Each control question should specify acceptable evidence:

Good: "Provide your password policy. Acceptable evidence: policy document showing complexity requirements, rotation period, and account lockout thresholds."

Bad: "Describe your password requirements."

3. Use Branching Logic

Structure questions to avoid irrelevant sections:

• If vendor doesn't process PII, skip GDPR questions
• If vendor has SOC 2 Type II, reduce granular control questions
• If cloud-based, skip physical security details

4. Set Clear Response Timelines

Establish SLAs by vendor tier:

• Critical vendors: 10 business days
• Important vendors: 15 business days
• Low-risk vendors: 20 business days

Include escalation procedures for non-response.

Common Implementation Mistakes

1. Over-Questioning Low-Risk Vendors

Sending 200 questions to every vendor creates:

• Response fatigue and delays
• Inaccurate rushed answers
• Damaged vendor relationships
• Wasted review time

2. Accepting Vague Responses

"We follow industry best practices" tells you nothing. Require specific control descriptions, metrics, and evidence.

3. Ignoring Response Validation

Without evidence review, questionnaires become checkbox exercises. Validate at minimum:

• Policy dates and approval signatures
• Audit report periods and scope
• Test results and remediation evidence
• Certification validity and scope

4. Static Question Sets

Questionnaires need quarterly updates for:

• New regulatory requirements
• Emerging threat vectors
• Framework updates
• Lessons learned from incidents

5. Manual Scoring Processes

Spreadsheet-based scoring doesn't scale. Implement:

• Weighted scoring by control criticality
• Automated risk calculation
• Trend tracking across assessments
• Benchmarking against peer vendors

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should vendors complete the full questionnaire?

Critical vendors annually, important vendors every 18 months, low-risk vendors every 24 months. Trigger reassessment for material changes like M&A, breach, or service expansion.

Should we accept SOC 2 reports instead of questionnaire responses?

Accept SOC 2 Type II reports less than 12 months old for covered controls, but require supplemental questions for gaps. Common gaps include specific regulatory requirements, data residency, and subcontractor details.

What's the optimal questionnaire length?

Critical vendors tolerate 150-200 questions if well-structured. Important vendors max out at 100 questions. Low-risk vendors disengage after 50 questions. Quality beats quantity.

How do we handle vendors who refuse to complete questionnaires?

Offer alternatives: accept recent audit reports, conduct abbreviated interviews, or use security rating services for initial screening. Document refusals and factor into risk ratings.

Should questions be yes/no or descriptive?

Mix both. Use yes/no for control existence, descriptive for implementation details. "Do you encrypt data at rest? (Y/N) If yes, describe encryption methods, key management, and scope."

How do we validate international vendor responses?

Focus on evidence that transcends language: ISO certificates, audit reports, technical configurations. Use local compliance frameworks (GDPR for EU, PIPEDA for Canada) as validation anchors.

Can AI help analyze questionnaire responses?

AI excels at response comparison, control gap identification, and evidence extraction. Use it for initial analysis but require human validation for risk decisions and exceptions.