Your Biggest Client Just Sent You a Security Questionnaire. Here Is What to Do.

Have you just received a detailed, multi-page security questionnaire from your most important client? If that client is in the financial sector, this is likely a direct result of the EU’s new Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), and how you respond will determine whether you keep that contract.

This isn’t just another piece of paperwork. For financial institutions, DORA mandates a strict new set of rules for managing cybersecurity risks, and that includes the risks coming from their key suppliers—in other words, you. The questionnaire in your inbox is their attempt to prove to regulators, like the Central Bank of Ireland, that their supply chain is secure. Ignore it and you lose the contract; answer it badly and you also lose the contract; answer it well and you prove your value and keep the business.

Your client is assessing whether you are a resilient partner or a weak link in their chain. Think of it like a pre-flight check on an aircraft; the airline needs to ensure every single component, no matter how small, is airworthy before it can take responsibility for the safety of its passengers. This questionnaire is your client’s pre-flight check on your business.

Why Is This Happening Now? The DORA Effect

The Digital Operational Resilience Act is a sweeping piece of EU legislation aimed at strengthening the IT security of financial entities. A core component of DORA is Third-Party Risk Management. Financial firms are now legally obligated to actively manage the digital risks associated with their ICT third-party service providers. This isn't a choice; it's a regulatory requirement enforced with significant penalties for non-compliance.

Free Tool: Not sure which regulations apply to your business? Use our Compliance Requirements Checker to find out in under 3 minutes — no jargon, just clear answers.

According to the Central Bank of Ireland, which oversees DORA implementation in Ireland, firms must ensure their critical ICT providers meet the same high standards of operational resilience they are held to [1]. This has transformed the client-supplier relationship. Previously, a verbal assurance or a brief mention of security in a contract might have been enough. Now, your clients need documented, verifiable proof that you have specific security controls in place. This questionnaire is the primary tool for gathering that proof, and it’s a trend that will only accelerate, affecting businesses from Sligo to Dublin.

The Five Questions You Are Guaranteed to Be Asked

While questionnaires can be long and complex, they almost always revolve around a few core security domains. These five questions are the foundation of most third-party risk assessments. Understanding them is the key to providing a strong response.

Here’s a breakdown of the most common questions and how to approach them:

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What If the Honest Answer is 'No'?

It is the single biggest fear when facing a security questionnaire: the box you can’t tick. Answering 'No' to a critical question feels like an admission of failure, but it doesn’t have to be fatal. Honesty, coupled with a clear plan of action, is far more credible than evasion or, worse, dishonesty. Lying on a questionnaire can be considered a breach of contract and could have severe legal consequences.

If you lack a specific control, don't just say 'No'. Instead, use the opportunity to demonstrate maturity and a commitment to improvement. Your response should shift from a simple negative to a statement of intent. For example, if you don't have a formal incident response plan, your answer could be: "We are currently in the process of developing a formal incident response plan, aligned with the guidelines from Ireland's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). We expect to have this documented and tested by Q3 2026."

This approach shows you understand the risk, you are taking it seriously, and you have a credible timeline for addressing it. It turns a weakness into an opportunity to build trust. For more insights on building a security program, check out our blog for pragmatic advice.

From Questionnaire to Competitive Advantage

A well-answered security questionnaire does more than just save a contract; it becomes a powerful sales tool. It demonstrates a level of professionalism and security maturity that sets you apart from competitors. In a landscape where supply chain attacks are a constant threat—as evidenced by numerous incidents investigated by An Garda Síochána's National Cyber Crime Bureau—being the demonstrably secure option is a significant competitive advantage.

By investing in the core security controls that these questionnaires assess, you are not just satisfying a client's compliance needs; you are making your business more resilient, more trustworthy, and ultimately, more valuable. You are turning a regulatory burden into a market differentiator. This is no longer about IT; it's about business strategy.

Related Reading

• Why Donegal Businesses Are a More Attractive Target Than You Think.
• What Irish Business Media Is Not Telling You About the Cyber Threat to SMEs.
• Why Donegal and Sligo Businesses Are the Next Frontier for Cybercriminals: A Threat Intelligence Briefing.

Ready to find out exactly where your business stands? Book a free 20-minute strategy call with our vCISO team at pragmaticsecurity.ie/book-a-call. No sales pitch. No jargon. Just clarity on your cyber risk — and a clear plan to address it.