IT teams tend to add another security tool each time a new technology is introduced or a new threat emerges. Before long, the security environment is cluttered with dozens of tools, many of which are underutilized, have overlapping capabilities, and are poorly integrated. According to IDC research, 48 percent of enterprises have 41 to 80 security tools, with some having as many as 140. More than half (51 percent) have contracts with as many as 30 different security vendors.
More security tools does not equal stronger security. On the contrary, point solutions can create data silos that sap productivity and delay incident response. Even if the tools are able to communicate and share data, they won’t provide meaningful results if they aren’t properly configured and integrated.
The Problem of Too Many Tools
There are other problems, as well. IT teams must dedicate time to monitoring, managing and using each tool, distracting IT staff from more strategic tasks. Many of the security tools will generate alerts for the same issue or incident, causing alert fatigue and confusion. IT staff must switch between tools and correlate alerts and data, a highly complex process that often leads to burnout and job dissatisfaction.
Tool sprawl also makes it difficult to maintain consistency across the environment and enforce security policies uniformly. IT teams may struggle to update configurations as the IT environment changes, potentially creating gaps and conflicts. The security skills shortage adds to the problem. Organizations often deploy new security tools without the necessary in-house expertise, leading to learning curves and the risk of misconfigurations and other errors.
The impacts of too many tools extend to the IT budget. Every tool requires an upfront investment or subscription, as well as maintenance, upgrades and integration. When tools overlap, organizations are wasting money that could be better invested in other solutions or services.
Tips for Reducing Tool Sprawl
To reduce tool sprawl, organizations should start with a thorough assessment of the security environment and an accurate inventory of the tools in place. The IT team needs to understand what tools they have and how (or if) they’re being used.
A security framework can help IT teams rightsize their security environments. For example, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework places security functions in five categories: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover. The Cyber Defense Matrix maps those five categories against five classes of IT assets: devices, networks, applications, data and users. IT teams gain an easy-to-understand reference for categorizing security products and identifying gaps and overlaps in the security environment.
Security tool rationalization can then help IT teams maximize the value of existing investments while eliminating bloat. The IT team should evaluate every tool in the security environment against the organization’s business and security needs. If any tool does not meet those needs, it should be eliminated. IT teams can also identify capabilities of existing tools that aren’t being used effectively, and functionality that could be unlocked with the right software licenses.
An Ongoing Process
Security tool rationalization isn’t a “once and done” process. Organizations should conduct regular risk assessments and reevaluate tools six to 12 months before license expiration to ensure that they continue to meet their needs and budget. Organizations should also stay abreast of the latest product updates to ensure that they’re taking advantage of the latest capabilities while avoiding unnecessary purchases.
Technologent’s security consultants can guide you through every step of the process. We can assess your existing toolset to identify duplicates, misconfigurations and underutilized tools, and help you develop a security strategy that closes gaps while eliminating overlapping coverage. We can also help you integrate specific tools and consolidate security alerts to streamline management and improve threat response.
Security tool sprawl increases costs and administrative overhead and hinders your security efforts. Let Technologent help you take a “less is more” approach to security by streamlining and consolidating your security environment to improve your overall security posture.
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