If an outsourcing service provider has not established sufficient testing and approval procedures for the hardware and software for which they are responsible, it represents a significant threat to IT operations. Existing errors in the hardware and software or security gaps in configurations might not be detected too late (or not at all). If new components are integrated into the operating environment without being tested sufficiently beforehand, errors or security vulnerabilities from the area of one client could also have a negative impact on other customers.

If inadequate testing and approval procedures lead to security incidents, the protection customer data requires is no longer guaranteed. This can have financial consequences if, for example, a contractual relationship is then terminated or contractual penalties have to be paid.