Vendor Trust Score Calculator

Measure vendor trust using transparent cybersecurity factors. Tune weights, record evidence, and export reports instantly. Use scores to prioritize reviews and reduce third-party risk.

Assessment form
Score each control area, adjust weights, then export results.
Used in exports and the assessment report.
Optional label for internal tracking.
Keep score history consistent across cycles.
Higher criticality tightens trust expectations slightly.
More sensitive data reduces score unless controls are strong.
Lower values reflect missing proofs or limited visibility.

Control scoring
Score 0–5. Adjust weights to match your risk appetite.
Tip: keep weights stable to compare vendors over time.
Third‑party audits, SOC reports, ISO, attestations.
Weight influences impact on total score.
Transparency, root causes, corrective actions.
Weight influences impact on total score.
Scanning cadence, prioritization, remediation proof.
Weight influences impact on total score.
Timelines for critical/high fixes, exceptions.
Weight influences impact on total score.
Role design, approvals, privileged access controls.
Weight influences impact on total score.
Strong auth, conditional access, admin MFA.
Weight influences impact on total score.
At-rest/in-transit coverage, key rotation, HSM.
Weight influences impact on total score.
Reviews, testing, dependency hygiene, CI/CD gates.
Weight influences impact on total score.
Detection, alerting, response SLAs, runbooks.
Weight influences impact on total score.
Minimization, retention limits, deletion evidence.
Weight influences impact on total score.
RTO/RPO, tests, backups, failover readiness.
Weight influences impact on total score.
Notes are included in exports. Keep sensitive data out.
Reset

Formula used

Each metric is scored from 0 to 5 and multiplied by its weight. The weighted sum is normalized to a 0–100 scale.

  • Base Score = ( Σ(scoreᵢ × weightᵢ) ÷ (5 × Σ(weightᵢ)) ) × 100
  • Confidence Factor = 0.70 + 0.30 × (confidence ÷ 100)
  • Final Score = Base Score × Confidence Factor × Criticality Multiplier × Sensitivity Multiplier

Multipliers apply small adjustments so the score remains comparable, while still reflecting evidence gaps and data exposure.

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter the vendor name, review date, and context options.
  2. Score each control area from 0–5 based on evidence.
  3. Adjust weights only if your program requires emphasis.
  4. Submit to view the trust score and improvement priorities.
  5. Download CSV for trackers or PDF for audit-ready records.

Example data table

Vendor Criticality Data sensitivity Evidence confidence Trust score Band Next action
Acme Cloud Services High Regulated 90% 82.40 Strong Target SDLC proof and patch SLA reporting.
BrightCRM Medium Restricted 70% 63.10 Adequate Request SOC report and incident response runbooks.
Northwind Analytics Low Standard 60% 48.85 Weak Run deeper assessment before renewal.

Use the same weights for fair comparisons across suppliers.

Vendor trust scoring improves procurement outcomes

Third‑party compromise is a frequent entry point for attackers, and vendor security maturity varies widely across the same market. This calculator turns assessment evidence into a repeatable 0–100 score so procurement, security, and legal can share one view. Teams can baseline new suppliers, compare renewals, and justify compensating controls when a preferred vendor is not yet at target. Many programs set thresholds, such as 70 for onboarding and 85 for high‑criticality services, then require approvals below target. Because the score is normalized, it supports benchmarking across business units and highlights where shared‑responsibility controls are required internally.

Metrics reflect measurable cybersecurity behaviors

The model uses eleven control families that correlate with operational resilience: audits and attestations, incident transparency, vulnerability handling, patch timelines, least‑privilege access, enforced strong authentication, encryption and key hygiene, secure development discipline, monitoring and response, privacy handling, and recovery readiness. Each item is scored 0–5 to discourage false precision while still capturing meaningful differences.

Weights help match scoring to business exposure

Weights define impact. If a vendor processes regulated data, increase privacy and encryption weight, and keep access and monitoring high. If the vendor operates critical infrastructure, prioritize patch SLAs and recovery testing. If you rely on frequent releases, emphasize secure SDLC and vulnerability management. Lock weights for a review cycle so vendors are compared fairly and year‑over‑year changes reflect real improvements, not shifting criteria.

Evidence confidence reduces risk from blind spots

A strong narrative without artifacts can hide weaknesses. The evidence confidence input scales the score when proof is limited. Higher confidence typically comes from current audit reports, penetration summaries, incident postmortems, ticket extracts showing remediation, and screenshots or policy excerpts that match practice. Using confidence also guides your next request list: it highlights where verification matters most.

Operationalize results with remediation and governance

Use the “Top improvements” list to draft targeted actions with owners and deadlines. Convert low scores into specific contract clauses: admin MFA enforcement, logging retention, breach notification timelines, patch SLAs, and recovery objectives with test cadence. Export the PDF for governance packs and the CSV for vendor trackers. Re-score after remediation to quantify progress and support go/no‑go decisions.

FAQs

1) What does a “0 (Unknown)” score mean?

It indicates missing evidence or unanswered questions. Unknowns lower trust because gaps can conceal weak controls. Use it to request artifacts, confirmations, or a follow‑up call before approving access.

2) Should we customize the default weights?

Customize weights when exposure differs. Document the rationale, keep weights consistent across vendors, and review changes only at the start of a new assessment cycle.

3) How is evidence confidence different from control scores?

Control scores measure the strength of practices. Evidence confidence measures how well those claims are verified with audits, technical proof, and operational records.

4) Can two vendors share the same total score?

Yes. Compare the top gaps and context. A vendor with weak monitoring may warrant stricter conditions than one with weaker documentation, even if totals match.

5) How often should we reassess trust?

At onboarding, annually, and after major incidents or architecture changes. High‑criticality vendors often benefit from semiannual reviews aligned to audit refresh dates.

6) Which artifacts raise confidence fastest?

Recent audit reports, penetration summaries, vulnerability remediation tickets, incident postmortems, MFA and access policy evidence, encryption/key management diagrams, and recovery test results usually improve confidence quickly.

Related Calculators

Vendor Risk ScoreThird Party RiskSupplier Security RiskVendor Breach ImpactVendor Risk RatingSupplier Risk IndexThird Party VulnerabilitySupplier Cyber RiskThird Party MaturitySupplier Incident Impact

Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.