More than half of the average organization’s vendor footprint is now Shadow IT, and only two percent of it ever gets a security review, according to Vanta’s own research into vendor sprawl. That’s one symptom of a wider pattern: most risk registers drift from reality between review cycles — a spreadsheet nobody’s updated, a control nobody’s re-tested, a vendor relationship nobody’s re-assessed. This guide sets out what to check when evaluating risk management software, using four leading platforms as the test case. What Is Risk Management Software? Risk management software is the system of record for identifying, scoring, monitoring, and reporting on the risks an organization carries, spanning internal controls, regulatory obligations, and vendor relationships alike. The strongest platforms connect every risk source into one register instead of splitting them across separate tools, map each risk to the specific controls and assets it touches, and keep scoring current as those controls change. Third-party and vendor risk is one input into that system, not a separate category of software. Key Benefits of Risk Management Software A register that reflects reality. Continuous, signal-driven identification surfaces a lapsed control or a new exposure as your environment changes, instead of waiting for the next