Using XDR to Consolidate and Optimize Cybersecurity Technology

Businesses know they need cybersecurity, but it seems like a new
acronym and system is popping up every day. Professionals that
aren’t actively researching these technologies can struggle to keep
up. As the cybersecurity landscape becomes more complicated,
organizations are desperate to simplify it. Frustrated with the
inefficiencies that come with using multiple vendors for
cybersecurity, often stemming from a lack of integration of a
heterogenous security stack, approximately 75% of organizations^[1]
are looking to consolidate their cybersecurity technology in 2022 —
a 29% increase from 2020.

Surprisingly, reducing spend isn’t the number one goal for these
organizations.

Of the businesses that are consolidating, 65% are doing so to
improve their risk posture. Having more cybersecurity tools means a
larger threat surface. And when cybersecurity products don’t
integrate easily, businesses end up with gaps in their
protection.

Why Companies Need To Consolidate Cybersecurity Technology

Not only does consolidating cybersecurity tools provide a better
ROI over the long run, but it also offers additional benefits.

Improves Analytics

XDR improves analytics because it offers visibility from a
single pane of glass, increasing the amount of context that
analysts get as they evaluate the network’s security posture.
Because they’re getting more context, the security team can make
better data-driven decisions and remediate issues faster. The
improved analytics also simplifies maintenance and integrations,
limiting gaps in an organization’s security infrastructure that
could allow threats to penetrate the network.

Reduces Resource Waste and Fills Gaps

Organizations that choose XDR see a better ROI, especially
during times of high inflation or recessions because they reduce
the number of wasted resources. For one, businesses are reducing
the number of software subscriptions they have overall, both
cutting costs and making their technology easier to manage.
Additionally, they’ll see less overlap between the tools they do
have, meaning they’ll be wasting less money.

XDR also improves the efficiency of an organization’s security
team to lower operating costs. With fewer false positives, analysts
will have to spend less time chasing down alerts that aren’t
indicative of threats, reducing their overall workload and the
chance of alert fatigue. Additionally, Cynet 360 AutoXDR^[2]
includes a managed detection and response (MDR) service for no
extra charge, helping businesses fill in security gaps without
hiring extra analysts — something that is both expensive and
extremely difficult at a time when there are around 770,000 unfilled
cybersecurity job openings^[3]
in the United States alone.

Enables Automation

XDR makes automation easier because several applications are
combined into one, further reducing the security team’s manual
workload. They’ll have to do less manual analysis and tracking, and
automated platform updates mean they won’t have to manually patch
the system. Additionally, XDR offers automated remediation,
initiating sandboxes or rollbacks before human analysts have to get
involved. This automation also means that XDR can react to threats
faster than humans can, lowering the likelihood of a successful
breach.

Obstacles to Cybersecurity Consolidation

Despite the benefits, many businesses are wary of consolidating
their cybersecurity technology due to the obstacles they face.

Paralysis by Analysis

There are so many choices for cybersecurity software in the
market that it can be difficult to decide which tools are best for
the business. And even within the smaller XDR market, not every
vendor approach XDR the same way. Native XDR platforms, like
Cynet 360 AutoXDR^[5], consolidate several
tools into one platform. Open XDR, on the other hand, simply
provides a connection point for other security systems to bring
data into a centralized console.

Some organizations may also be concerned about putting all their
cybersecurity in the hands of one vendor. What if that vendor gets
breached themselves or goes out of business? While this is an
understandable worry, businesses can assuage this fear by choosing
a vendor with a solid history in the market and by examining
reviews from other users to see how the vendor handles
problems.

Businesses also need to determine if the benefits of XDR
outweigh the costs of changing platforms and processes. While XDR
can provide a better ROI over the long run, it may be difficult for
an organization to see past the initial expense and really buy into
the operational benefits that XDR can offer. The organization must
examine its current processes and tools to get a better
understanding of how XDR can improve current processes and keep the
business safe from threats.

Small or Understaffed Cybersecurity Teams

Many cybersecurity teams are currently quite small or
understaffed. Because of this, they may not even be aware that
consolidation is possible through XDR. And since they’re buried in
their day-to-day work, they may feel that they don’t have time to
implement something new while keeping up with their existing
workload. Additionally, learning a new system could contribute to
analyst burnout, so organizations concerned with retention may be
hesitant to implement something new, even if it could reduce
burnout over time.

Fear of Automation

Some organizations also have a fear of automation. They don’t
want a platform to act without knowing exactly what it’s going to
do. Luckily, Cynet 360 AutoXDR allows businesses to configure the
system so that it runs the automated process without actually
executing any commands. This feature allows the security team to
see what the system is planning to do and make sure it’s what they
want before they allow it to happen.

Businesses might also worry that it will replace the need for
human analysts or employees. However, while automation can handle
parts of these analysts’ manual workload, they still need human
oversight and can’t handle all of the tasks that human employees
can.

Finally, a company may be hesitant to incorporate automation
into its cybersecurity processes because of the idea that it might
be too expensive to add. However, many XDR platforms, including
Cynet 360 AutoXDR, provide automation as a standard offering,
meaning it won’t cost the business any extra.

How Can Businesses Consolidate Their Cybersecurity Stack?

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to consolidation, so it
can be tough for businesses to know how to handle it.

Start with an Evaluation

To start, businesses should look at everything they currently
have in their tech stack. What are they missing in functionality?
What features would they like to have? They should then determine
whether their organization would benefit most from an all-in-one
platform or multiple best-of-breed tools to determine whether a
native or open XDR makes the most sense for them. Then, they’ll
have an easier time evaluating vendors and the best options for the
next steps.

After doing your research, businesses have two options:

Jump in Head First

The first option is to partner with an XDR provider to
immediately begin consolidating your cybersecurity technology. The
benefits of this method are that the company will get a better ROI
and see a faster time to value, and it’ll be easier to prevent
successful breaches. However, it could lead to security gaps in the
short term if the business doesn’t properly evaluate its current
level of functionality. Businesses that have the budget as one of
their main concerns will likely want to proceed with this
option.

Double-Up and Test

Alternatively, organizations can purchase an XDR solution and
run it alongside their current platform for a month or two in order
to identify any gaps and determine if there are any tools they need
to keep. This is great for allowing security teams to get
comfortable with XDR capabilities before dropping platforms and
ensures that they won’t have any security gaps in the short term.
However, it can be more expensive initially, but once the business
crosses the learning curve, it’ll see an incredible ROI. If budget
isn’t the primary concern for a business, they may want to proceed
with this method.

Cynet 360 AutoXDR Consolidates Your Security Tech and Backs it
Up with MDR

Cynet 360 AutoXDR is a great choice for businesses looking for
native XDR to consolidate their current technology stack. It helps
you make better decisions because your security team is getting all
the information in one place. Additionally, it gives your business
the broadest proven set of security tools all in one platform.

Cynet 360 AutoXDR is perfect for teams with limited or no
security personnel thanks to automation and managed offerings. It
fills skills gaps with an expert team of security analysts and
researchers through the MDR service. Your business will also save
more money, time, and energy than it would if you kept all of its
security platforms separate.

To learn how Cynet 360 AutoXDR can improve your cybersecurity
posture through consolidation, book a personal demo^[6]
today!