Businesses are facing a significant challenge – security fragmentation and complexity are getting in the way of results. The IBM Institute for Business Value in collaboration with Palo Alto Networks conducted the study, Capturing the cybersecurity dividend: how security platforms generate business value. The research found 52% of surveyed executives identified complexity as the biggest impediment to their security operations. With the average organization managing 83 different security solutions from 29 vendors, the struggle to keep security operations streamlined and effective is real.
The Cost of Complexity
Security fragmentation is not just an operational headache; it’s a productivity and financial drain. As threats grow, many organizations add more security tools, but this approach often leads to inefficiencies and skyrocketing costs. With cybersecurity spending expected to grow over 50% from 2023 to 2025, according to the study, organizations are under immense pressure to reduce costs while improving security outcomes.
Debunking the Myth, More Solutions Equals More Security
It’s not that most organizations believe that adding more solutions will enhance their security posture, but that along the way they have selected various “best of breed” solutions to solve the security challenge of the moment. However, research shows that this approach compounds complexity and dilutes the benefits of individual tools, ultimately reducing overall effectiveness.
Platformization — The Key to Faster, More Efficient Security Operations
A clear solution to this complexity is platformization – the consolidation of security solutions into integrated platforms. Organizations that adopt platform-based approaches report significant benefits:
- Faster Incident Response – On average, platformized organizations identify security incidents 72 days faster and contain them 84 days sooner than their non-platformized peers.
- Better ROI – Platformized companies achieve an average 101% ROI, compared to 28% for organizations that have not yet embraced platformization.
Cybersecurity as a Bottom-Line Driver
The transformation driven by platformization extends beyond operational efficiency. 96% of executives who have adopted platformization now view security as a value generator, compared to only 8% of those who haven’t embraced this approach. Integrated security platforms not only reduce costs but also unlock opportunities for innovation and growth, turning cybersecurity from a necessary expense into a strategic asset in their current digital transformation initiatives.
Read Capturing the cybersecurity dividend: How security platforms generate business value for more insights and actionable steps to help you take a platform-enabled approach to security this year.