As U.S. companies pursue international growth, they unlock new markets and revenue streams but also face heightened cybersecurity risks. A broader digital footprint, diverse regulatory environments, and complex supply chains create vulnerabilities that cybercriminals are quick to exploit.
From geopolitical tensions to regional compliance challenges, every step of global expansion demands a proactive, risk-based cybersecurity strategy. U.S. organizations must balance ambition with resilience to help protect their operations and reputation.
While 64% of C-suite leaders believe their data is “completely protected,” many of those same leaders rank international expansion among their top three priorities. The question is: how does global growth impact cyber confidence, and what can U.S. businesses do to stay secure?
Supply Chain Expansion & Localized Risk
Global expansion often requires working with regional suppliers, navigating tariffs, and adapting to local infrastructure. These shifts introduce new risks, especially when local vendors fall short of U.S. cybersecurity standards.
To help mitigate exposure:
- Conduct thorough due diligence on all suppliers, including incident response readiness and compliance certifications.
- Apply the same risk-based approach used in your U.S. cybersecurity framework to international partnerships.
- If full alignment with global standards isn’t feasible, implement segmentation and monitoring strategies to help contain risk.
Navigating Global Regulatory Complexity
Cyber regulations vary widely across regions and evolve rapidly. While the European Union enforces strict rules like the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the U.S. landscape includes frameworks like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), HIPAA, New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), and SEC cybersecurity disclosure requirements. Multinationals must also contend with Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD), Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronics Documents Act (PIPEDA), and APAC’s fragmented standards.
Even if executives believe they’re prepared for cyber legislation, expanding into new territories increases the complexity and the stakes. DORA, for example, can impose fines of up to 2% of global revenue for noncompliance.
To stay ahead:
- Map regulatory requirements for each region before entry.
- Work with local professionals to avoid misinterpretation and costly delays.
- Incorporate audit rights into supplier contracts to help ensure ongoing compliance.
Building a Resilient Global Cyber Strategy
Cyber risk shouldn’t stall growth, but it must be managed. Here are key strategies for U.S. businesses expanding abroad:
- Establish a Global Cybersecurity Baseline: Use risk-based frameworks like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to define minimum standards for encryption, access control, and incident response across all markets.
- Localize Risk Segmentation: Segment networks by geography or technology to help limit the impact of breaches. This may mean creating independent ecosystems for high-risk regions.
- Tailor Defenses to Regional Threats: Conduct threat intelligence assessments for each market. Prioritize zero-trust architectures in regions prone to state-sponsored attacks, and bolster monitoring where cyber laws are weak.
- Monitor Supplier Dependencies: Regularly audit vendors and use continuous vulnerability scanning. Include audit clauses in service-level agreements (SLAs) to help maintain oversight.
- Maintain Global Visibility & Control: Even as operations localize, retain centralized oversight of cybersecurity posture to help ensure consistency and rapid response capabilities.
- Map Global Cybersecurity & Privacy Laws (like the GDPR): To help ensure that cyber models meet international regulations in new markets.
Secure Growth Starts With Resilience
As attack surfaces expand, resilience must be embedded into every phase of global growth. U.S. businesses should ask:
- Have we mapped region-specific threats and regulations?
- Do our local suppliers meet our cybersecurity baseline?
- Can we isolate a breach to help prevent global impact?
Planning to Expand Globally?
Don’t let cyber risk derail your growth. Connect with our technology consulting team at Forvis Mazars to help build a resilient, risk-based strategy tailored to your U.S. operations and international ambitions. Reach out to one of our professionals to schedule a global readiness assessment today.
