Black Kite unveils ASI for targeted third-party cyber risk

Black Kite has launched its Adversary Susceptibility Index (ASI) to support third-party risk management teams in identifying which of their suppliers are most vulnerable to specific threat actors.

The ASI has been designed to address the growing challenges that security teams face in the context of increasing ransomware and targeted cyber threats. The solution introduces the capability for organisations to proactively assess the susceptibility of vendors based on the tactics and procedures linked to particular cybercriminal groups.

Ferhat Dikbiyik, Chief Research and Intelligence Officer at Black Kite, remarked on the need for more targeted intelligence in response to prominent cyber threats. He said,

"With high-profile threats like Volt Typhoon, Black Basta, and APT29, security teams cannot wait for weeks to respond. As threat actors become more targeted and sophisticated, third-party risk teams need tools that reflect the real-world threat landscape. ASI gives organizations the ability to immediately understand which of their suppliers are likely to be in the crosshairs of specific threat groups. It's a powerful step forward in transforming cyber risk programs from passive monitoring to proactive, intelligence-driven action."

The Adversary Susceptibility Index builds upon Black Kite's existing Ransomware Susceptibility Index by directly mapping risk exposure to the specific groups behind ransomware campaigns. The new system works by flagging vendors who display vulnerabilities or behaviours associated with known threat actor tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). Features such as identifying open Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) ports, unpatched Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), or evidence of stealer log leaks are incorporated into the assessment process.

ASI also provides security teams with indicators to determine which third-party organisations may require immediate outreach and coordinated remediation efforts. This triage-oriented approach allows for the more efficient allocation of resources and sharper threat response focus.

Features and benefits

The company stated the key capabilities and advantages of the ASI include the following:

• Threat Actor Intelligence for Suppliers: Security teams can view which vendors correspond to known adversary profiles without delay.
• Vendor Sorting by Susceptibility: The system enables prioritisation based on tangible vulnerabilities and the targeting tactics of specific attacker groups.
• Industry and Geography-Aware Risk: The solution factors in sector-specific and region-specific intelligence, allowing organisations to consider actors' industries, locations, and motivations when assessing exposure.
• Proactive Vendor Engagement: Actor-specific risk insights can be relayed directly to suppliers, helping accelerate mitigation efforts while fostering trust.

According to Black Kite, the ASI's integration of threat actor intelligence within third-party risk management provides a new degree of precision. Instead of relying solely on static risk indicators, organisations can now adjust their priority frameworks to focus on suppliers who are demonstrably exposed to active adversaries' tactics. This, the company notes, aligns third-party cyber risk assessments more closely with current threat intelligence.

Through these enhancements, Black Kite aims to provide its customers with a unified approach to vendor cyber risk, combining real-world intelligence with operational workflows.

Black Kite states that its broader offering deals not only in risk ratings but in providing a real-time, continuous view of the cyber risks affecting organisational digital supply chains. The company claims to automate the process of gathering threat, business, and risk information for upwards of 3,000 customers across various sectors.