Simplify Your Cybersecurity Stack With a Platform Consolidation Framework

As businesses grow and technology continues to make advancements, managing your IT stack can become convoluted and lead to overlap or blind spots. Maximizing the efficiency of your cybersecurity tools may require you to reevaluate the software solutions you have, prioritize those with the most impact on your security posture, and consolidate your systems where it makes sense. Simplifying your IT stack can be a helpful strategy for increasing business agility and reducing unnecessary costs. A streamlined cybersecurity system minimizes redundancy, reducing the likelihood of errors while also making it easier to implement across your organization.

“The average organization works with 10 to 15 security vendors and 60 to 70 security tools”

Know Your Security Goals

The first step in consolidating your IT stack is understanding what your security goals are as an organization. Determining which aspects of your cybersecurity posture need to be prioritized and which may be redundant or outdated can help your organization formulate a game plan for consolidation.

There are several factors you need to consider when determining your security program goals. Organizations need to consider their business risks and compliance requirements to select must-have security controls. However, these controls need to be implemented with the lowest total cost of ownership by weighing different metrics, such as cost of tools used, time dedicated towards maintenance, and your team’s ability to keep up with critical IT functions like identifying and managing data breaches. Another way you can determine what aspects of your IT stack you should prioritize is by conducting a cybersecurity risk assessment, which will give you a better understanding of your IT vulnerabilities and potential gaps in your security controls.

Mindful Security Consolidation

Consolidating your organization’s IT stack may seem contradictory to the growing corporate budgets towards cybersecurity. In fact, “CIOs expect [cybersecurity budgets] to grow: 80% of respondents to the 2024 Gartner CIO and Technology Executive Survey said their funding for cybersecurity will increase in 2024 compared to 2023”. A larger budget doesn’t mean that your IT stack should necessarily grow to use more and more tools. Having a meaningful consolidation plan will help better streamline your business processes while achieving your security goals.

“Consolidation projects should aim to improve risk posture for the organization, by simplifying it”

Taking a look at what vendors and tools your organization currently uses and deciding which vendors are the best for your security strategy and if there are any products they offer that address your security needs that you can consolidate from other less strategic vendors can help streamline your business processes. Additionally, identifying your organization’s “must-have” products can help you determine which platforms you should be allocating your cybersecurity budget towards.

Evaluate and Plan

Evaluating your IT stack, consolidating components, and planning ahead are critical steps for maintaining a competitive edge. By assessing your current IT infrastructure, you can identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement. Consolidating tools and platforms not only streamlines operations but also enhances security and can reduce costs. Planning ahead can ensure that your cybersecurity program remains agile and capable of adapting to future advancements, positioning your organization to leverage new technologies and innovations effectively. Working with a managed service provider, like Thrive can help you evaluate and consolidate your infrastructure, while still achieving your business goals.

To learn more about a framework for cybersecurity consolidation, read the Gartner report, Simplify Cybersecurity With a Platform Consolidation Framework.

Contact Thrive today to learn more about how you can streamline your security plan and stay ahead.