7 Obstacles Keeping You from Improved IT Security

Because we’ve worked with thousands of companies of all sizes across all industries, we know all too well how challenging it can be for enterprises to define their strategic goals and objectives – not to mention implementing their plans on their own.

Take security, for example. Everyone recognizes how essential it is, but few know how to move forward. Working with our clients, we’ve identified the following seven obstacles that frequently stand in the way:

1. You’re too busy operating in reactive mode. It’s very easy to find yourself taking a largely reactive, piecemeal approach to IT security. Repeatedly, your team discovers a new threat or vulnerability, then seeks a solution to mitigate it. Following this approach leaves little time for what will serve you better: a manageable, consistent, and properly funded security plan based on a well-thought-out long-term strategy.
2. You’re short on strategic expertise. The bigger the enterprise, the easier it is to justify a dedicated IT security strategist. However, security is only one of your IT team’s many critical responsibilities; you might not have an individual on staff with the experience and bandwidth to formulate a solid, long-term security strategy.
3. You don’t have reliable data on the costs and risks associated with your current security posture. Before you can develop an effective, long-term security strategy, it’s essential to know all the ramifications of your current state of security. If you could quantify and weigh those costs and risks, you would have a much better idea of how best to pursue your security strategy and how much to invest in it. How much risk mitigation are you getting for your current spend? How much risk exposure are you willing to tolerate? What are the real costs – in remediation, lost revenue, reputational damage, and more – in the event of a data breach? How does that compare with the cost of developing and implementing a more comprehensive security strategy? When the answers to these questions are hard to find, it’s difficult to plan and budget.
4. You’re unclear on how best to protect your data and intellectual property. You know your data and IP are vulnerable – but you’re a bit overwhelmed by the number and variety of security solutions promising to increase your protection and how best to proceed. Should malware defenses be your #1 priority? Is a Zero Trust approach right for you? As the threat landscape evolves, will some new solution emerge that will make today’s security investments obsolete? These and other questions may be causing you to delay action while your vulnerability remains inadequately addressed.
5. Your current mix of platforms, service providers, and their security options are difficult to manage. When all your systems were on premises, it was much easier to maintain and enforce consistent security policies. Not anymore. Your current environment is likely a mix of platforms and systems from various service providers, each with its own security options that may or may not conform to your existing security policies. Keeping abreast of the security options of various providers and services, and ensuring configurations conform to established security policies, is a constant challenge.
6. You don’t have the processes and capabilities in place to establish and oversee security operations. New security threats emerge and vulnerabilities are discovered on an alarmingly frequent basis. You can’t anticipate and respond to these issues in a coherent and manageable fashion without the right capabilities and consistent processes to address them. It’s the only way to make your security operations as effective and responsive as you need them to be.
7. You need assistance upskilling resources, tools, and skills to implement a proper security strategy. Many obstacles can arise along your way from “what” (strategy) to “how” (implementation). This is especially true in the dynamic, relentless world of IT security, where previously solid competencies can become quickly outdated. You can’t move forward until you’re equipped with the up-to-the-minute capabilities to turn your strategy into action.

With these kinds of obstacles in the way, it’s no wonder if your IT security goals remain elusive. The key to achieving them is to take a measured, comprehensive approach – and the best way to begin is with a security assessment. Our security assessment can help you understand your risks and vulnerabilities, establish your priorities, gain insights, and get the expert recommendations you need to move forward. Go here to learn more.