It’s no secret that the cybersecurity platform conversation is top of mind for many right now. Yet a platform approach to cybersecurity has existed for decades, and there’s long been a debate across industries about choosing best-of-breed products versus using a unified platform.
However, as organizations grow more complex and the threat landscape changes, using an array of point products to manage risk results in technology overlap and unwanted blind spots. This outdated approach to security also exacerbates the ongoing cybersecurity talent shortage, creating more work for security and IT teams, most of which are already overworked and understaffed.
The reality is that these unique challenges will only intensify as new threats emerge and businesses continue to evolve. That’s why enterprises must choose a consolidated, platform-centric approach to effectively protect their digital assets. Simplifying security is imperative for organizations of all sizes across all industries, and the first place to start is for teams to streamline the products they use and consolidate vendors where possible.
Is there still a role for point products?
As organizations increasingly embrace a platform approach to cybersecurity, it raises the question of why we still have point products and whether they’re beneficial to a risk management strategy.
The answer lies in the ever-changing nature of cybersecurity and infrastructure. Because the threat landscape is constantly evolving, the industry will always need to create fresh defenses, which results in new point products. As infrastructure continually evolves to meet the shifting needs of every business—such as supporting a hybrid workforce or moving additional applications to the cloud—new point products will still be necessary to address novel risks and opportunities. As certain point products become stable or commoditized over time, they can and should easily become part of a functional cybersecurity platform.
A cybersecurity platform requires true interoperability
While it’s sensible to combine multiple commonly used components into a single platform to simplify operations and integrate critical functions, there must be deep interoperability between these elements for the products to function as a true platform. At a minimum, everything must run on a common operating system. It’s not sufficient to simply bundle technologies that are designed to operate as standalone solutions. Without a common operational foundation, true interoperability can’t be achieved.
There is another related scenario that occurs frequently that should raise concerns among organizations looking to make the shift to a cybersecurity platform. In the rush to push a platform to market, many companies will acquire point products from other, smaller vendors. Instead of taking the time to fully integrate the functions and operations of the acquired products into a unified solution, they bolt these acquisitions onto other offerings, call it a “platform,” and then take it to market. At best, this is false advertising. At worst, unsuspecting security and IT teams end up investing countless resources in a “platform” that doesn’t deliver what it claims, which leaves their business open to unnecessary risk and likely doesn’t create any efficiencies for their daily operations.
Embark on your platform journey
Every company would like to reduce operational costs while enhancing its security posture. A cybersecurity platform approach can achieve this by truly integrating point products, reducing overhead, and enabling native automation across multiple technologies. Some companies will choose to exclusively deploy functional platforms, while others may elect to use platform suites or dual-source certain offerings.
The platform journey will look different for every organization based on unique needs, but the goal remains the same: to move away from exclusively using point products.
Critical components of a strong cybersecurity platform
When evaluating cybersecurity platform offerings, remember that not all platforms are the same. Many vendor solutions that are labeled as platforms are composed of distinct products that run on different operating systems, have varied data structures, and use disparate management consoles.
It’s vital to look under the hood of the cybersecurity platforms you’re considering. A true cybersecurity platform should be backed by a single operating system, have a unified agent, use a single management console, rely on one data lake, use open APIs, and integrate easily with third-party products.
And don’t just take the vendor’s word for it when it comes to their capabilities and the completeness of their platform offering. During the evaluation process, ask to speak with current customers and seek guidance from industry analysts.
Choose the right cybersecurity platform for your organization
Whether you’re already using a cybersecurity platform or are just beginning your journey into the platform era, choose your vendors wisely. Are the operating system and functional components of the platform you’re considering truly integrated, or will you be shifting the complexity of your existing point product collection to a different form factor? The path you select will significantly impact your organization’s overall security and daily operations, both today and in the future.
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