Cybersecurity leaders are facing challenges with the complexity, overlap, and blind spots that arise from using multiple cybersecurity vendors and tools. Many cybersecurity products have overlapping capabilities, leading to misconfigurations and difficulty in identifying security gaps. To address this, consolidating cybersecurity products can reduce complexity by streamlining the number of products and their interactions, ultimately improving security outcomes.
Organizations consolidate security solutions for various reasons, such as lowering total cost of ownership, enhancing security posture, and simplifying procurement. To achieve cybersecurity platform consolidation, leaders can utilize three strategies:
1. Identify desired security outcomes: Communication of objectives is crucial during the consolidation process. It is important to focus on simplifying security measures rather than solely reducing costs.
2. Assess vendors and tools: Evaluate current products based on functionality, expenses, and effort required for maintenance. Consider alternative offerings for specific capabilities and involve stakeholders in the assessment process.
3. Analyze results and identify projects: Analyze the results of product assessments to identify must-have products and determine which capabilities can be consolidated. Prioritize feasible projects and consider potential future consolidation efforts.
Consolidation is more achievable in mature technology areas, and organizations typically consolidate once they have stand-alone components that can be integrated into a platform. It is important to remember that consolidation is an ongoing process, and compatibility with future projects should be considered. By following these strategies, cybersecurity leaders can effectively consolidate cybersecurity platforms to improve efficiency and security posture.
