Last week, we explained the concept of "defense in depth," a strategy for a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity. Another element of this effective cybersecurity posture is the purposeful integration of tools within your cybersecurity portfolio. Without this thoughtful step, businesses end up with disjointed tools, which lead to inefficiencies, vulnerabilities, and higher costs. Integrated cybersecurity solutions are critical for modern businesses because this approach streamlines defenses, enhances visibility, and provides robust protection against today's threats. With cyber attacks further empowered by AI, this approach has become even more important.
Benefits Of Using Integrated Cybersecurity Tools
Let's begin by defining what we mean by "integrated tool." In the past, many businesses, particularly small to midsized organizations, used multiple security tools, but rarely did they have the technical expertise to integrate those tools to create a seamless safety net. The danger of using standalone solutions, even best-of-class ones, is the high potential for gaps. With increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks, even the tiniest gap can open the door for a breach. However, by combining multiple cybersecurity tools into a unified IT security system and following IT security integration best practices, organizations gain several advantages.
Centralized management improves coverage and saves money
When security solutions are integrated, it becomes easier to monitor and manage the entire system. When managed as standalone solutions, your security tools will require individual checks to ensure they are working correctly, remain optimized, and are properly maintained. With integrated solutions, a security dashboard can be used, making it easier to see the entire unified IT security system and enable streamlined operations. Security dashboards can also support automation to create more effective alerts and quicker responses to potential issues.
Security dashboards aggregate data from across your security environment, pulling information from tools such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, endpoint protection solutions, access control products, and more. One key benefit of integrated solutions managed through a security dashboard is the elimination of alarm fatigue. Because it is simple to view and monitor solutions, it can become much easier to identify patterns and finely tune solutions to reduce false alarms. That "single pane of glass" view also assists with faster detection and resolution of security issues, which can mean the difference between a cyber attack nipped in the bud and one where bad actors siphon off data undeterred for weeks.
Lastly, centralized management and a well-integrated solution set can also provide a greater return on investment. By working collaboratively, your security solutions provide better coverage, often with fewer tools. Layering on a security dashboard extends cost savings with better resource utilization—fewer false alarms, better response time, and less need for oversight.
How Do You Implement Integrated Security Solutions?
Relying on multiple, unintegrated cybersecurity tools causes inefficiencies and leaves gaps in overall security. So how do you build a properly integrated security environment? Our advice won't surprise you: Go with professionals. If you are working with a managed services provider, they should be guiding your organization toward this effective, layered approach to cybersecurity. If not, the complexity of crafting an integrated system is not something that should be tackled without professional input. Regardless, be aware of common missteps that can undermine efforts to interlink and optimize security products.
- Ignoring Scalability: Selecting the right security solutions is the first critical step in building an integrated system. Not only should the chosen tools work well together, but consider the future when making your choices. Effective security solutions should be capable of integration, scale, and be supported by reputable vendors to grow with your business.
- Failure to Automate: Another key capability to look for with integrated security solutions is automation. When integrated properly, your tools should allow for automation that eliminates human error and speeds adjustments and responses to potential threats.
- Lack of Centralized Management: We can't say it enough—an effective security dashboard or management system is essential for your business to monitor and respond to threats effectively.
- Assuming Integration is One-Time: Another reason for a powerful security management tool is the ongoing need for testing, revising, and optimizing unified IT security systems. Remember, cybersecurity is never a "set it and forget it" solution; rather, security systems demand ongoing attention to effectively protect your organization and gain the full benefits of cybersecurity integration.
- Failing to create and enforce policies: Comprehensive cybersecurity strategies go well beyond integrated threat management and a holistic approach to security tools. Every organization should craft and implement cybersecurity policies that clearly guide employees through prevention, incident response, and breach management. Additionally, ongoing employee security awareness training is crucial to truly protecting your business.
Managed IT Services For Cybersecurity
It won't surprise you that Exigent feels strongly that effective, integrated cybersecurity solutions are best designed, deployed, and managed by experienced MSPs. Cybersecurity is complex and convoluted even in small, simple IT environments, and sophisticated, relentless attacks by bad actors only add to that. Partnering with an MSP for end-to-end cybersecurity services enables your organization to focus on your core competencies instead of wrestling with security solutions and potentially leaving your data unprotected due to a lack of expertise.
