In 2025, bank cybersecurity challenges have evolved far beyond phishing emails and perimeter firewalls. Today’s threats are integrated, automated, and often hidden within the systems banks rely on most third-party platforms, cloud infrastructure, and legacy technology.
This was the focus of discussion in Episode 1 of the “Demystifying Cybersecurity” podcast, where Carole Crawford and Ben Guerard of The Saturn Partners unpacked how financial institutions can protect customer trust while navigating growing digital and regulatory complexity.
The Vendor Problem: Banking’s Blind Spot
From loan origination software to cloud-based compliance tools, banks depend on hundreds of vendors to keep operations moving. But many institutions still lack a complete, risk-tiered vendor inventory, leaving open doors attackers can exploit.
As Ben explained on the podcast, “Only 32% of vendors receive ongoing monitoring.” Many banks still rely on one-time reviews or SOC 2 checkboxes that quickly go stale.
And when one vendor is compromised, every downstream connection, customer data, payment rails, even your own regulators may be at risk.
How to reduce exposure:
- Build and maintain a centralized third-party inventory mapped by criticality.
- Require annual reassessments for high-risk vendors.
- Go beyond attestations — review executive summaries of penetration tests or SOC 2 Type II reports.
- Monitor fourth-party dependencies where possible.
Review NIST’s Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management Guidelines (SP 800-161 Rev. 1) for practical controls aligned with banking regulations.
Visibility Across Siloed Systems
Most banks now operate a mix of on-premises core systems, cloud apps, and mobile banking platforms. The result? Visibility gaps.
Carole noted during the podcast that, “These environments are so siloed — it’s just asking for it.”
Ben recommended IT and OT convergence, feeding telemetry from endpoints, ATMs, and back-office systems into a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) or Extended Detection & Response (XDR) platform. This allows cross-correlation of anomalies, for instance, a teller workstation making unexpected API calls after hours.
Start small: centralize logs from your domain controllers, payment systems, and customer-facing apps, then expand to include remote branches. The key isn’t scale, it’s actionable visibility.
Automation Over Headcount: The New SOC Model
Few community or regional banks can justify a 10-person security operations center. Instead, many are shifting to Managed Detection and Response (MDR) or co-managed SIEM partnerships.
These services deliver 24/7 monitoring and incident triage — often at a fraction of the cost of in-house teams. As Carole summarized, “It’s not about boiling the ocean — it’s about knowing where your critical assets are most at risk.”
MDR and co-managed solutions integrate with existing controls, provide continuous tuning, and ensure every alert is validated against your playbooks before escalation.
That’s proactive defense, not reactive cleanup.
Governance: The Glue That Holds It All Together
Technology alone won’t secure your institution. Governance — defining ownership, accountability, and consistent oversight is the real foundation. Ben emphasized this repeatedly: “Governance underpins all other control families in NIST.”
Without a cross-functional security committee that includes IT, compliance, and operations, even the best tools become fragmented. Set cadence-based reviews, align risk appetite with board expectations, and integrate governance into every audit cycle.
A well-governed program turns compliance into a competitive advantage, reducing audit costs and building confidence with customers and regulators alike.
From Defense to Differentiator
Cybersecurity is no longer a cost center; it’s a trust enabler. “Nobody wants to do business with a company that can’t speak intelligently about its security posture,” Ben warned in the episode.
That’s especially true in banking, where reputation and regulatory scrutiny go hand-in-hand.
Investing in proactive cybersecurity means protecting both your institution’s reputation and your customers’ trust, the currency that matters most.
Conclusion
If your institution is navigating the growing bank cybersecurity challenges of 2025, you don’t have to face them alone. The Saturn Partners helps community banks, credit unions, and financial institutions build resilient, regulation-ready security programs that protect customer trust and reduce compliance risk.
Talk to our banking cybersecurity experts today and learn how to strengthen visibility, modernize vendor oversight, and implement 24/7 monitoring without the cost of an in-house SOC.
Listen to the Full Conversation
For a deeper look at these topics, vendor risk, visibility, and building resilience without overextending your team. Tune in to Episode 1 of the Demystifying Cybersecurity podcast featuring Carole Crawford and Ben Guerard.
👉 Listen on YouTube