New Black Kite tool identifies which vendors are most vulnerable to targeted threat groups

Black Kite has unveiled the Adversary Susceptibility Index (ASI), a tool designed for TPRM teams to proactively identify which vendors are most vulnerable to specific threat actors before threats escalate into breaches.

“With high-profile threats like Volt Typhoon, Black Basta, and APT29, security teams cannot wait for weeks to respond,” said Ferhat Dikbiyik, Chief Research and Intelligence Officer, Black Kite.

“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,” Dikbiyik continued.

ASI builds on Black Kite’s Ransomware Susceptibility Index (RSI) by mapping ransomware exposure to the specific threat actor groups behind the risk. ASI does this by revealing vendors that exhibit known vulnerabilities, behaviors, or configurations linked to that actor’s tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs); exposure indicators, such as open RDP ports, unpatched CVEs, or stealer log leaks; and third parties warranting immediate outreach and coordinated remediation.

As a result, organizations can quickly and accurately identify which vendors are most likely to be targeted based on each group’s known behaviors, tools, and tactics, adding precision and context to their prioritization strategy.

Key features and benefits include:

• Threat actor intelligence for suppliers: Instantly see which vendors align with a known adversary profile
• Vendor sorting by susceptibility: Prioritize outreach based on real-world exposure and targeted actor tactics
• Industry and geography-aware risk: Assess risk with contextual intelligence, including actor-specific industries, regions, and motivations
• Proactive vendor engagement: Deliver actor-specific insights to suppliers to accelerate mitigation and build trust

ASI brings a new level of precision to cyber risk management by embedding threat actor intelligence directly into third-party risk workflows. Rather than relying on static indicators, ASI enables organizations to prioritize suppliers based on real-world adversary behavior. With this capability, Black Kite delivers a unified, intelligence-driven approach to vendor cyber risk.