CISOs are Looking for a Consolidated Platform that Provides Integration of Consoles for Monitoring and Managing Platforms: Essen Vision

In a world where cyber threats are ever-evolving and organizations grapple with increasing complexities in their security landscapes, insights from industry leaders are invaluable. Nityanand Shetty, CEO of Essen Vision, provides expert perspectives on the challenges posed by disparate security tools, the importance of automation and orchestration, trends in cybersecurity consolidation, and the advantages of unified security offerings.

Studies indicate that organizations use an average of 31.58 disparate security tools. How does this complexity impact visibility and hinder effective detection and response to cyber threats?

The higher number of security tools organizations use today slows down the response as the ability to detect and respond gets more complicated as many of these tools lack integration capabilities. The lack of effective playbooks and automated orchestration of response also hinders effective response to cyber threats in these environments.

How does the deployment of automation and orchestration get affected when organizations rely on poorly integrated security tools? What role does this play in the meantime to detect and respond to cyber threats?

The cybersecurity landscape has become more complex than ever. Moreover, with multiple tools and technologies addressing various security needs, the integration of all of these has become difficult most of the time. That is where a strong SIEM integrated with an automated SOAR system comes in to monitor data in real-time and use UEBA to detect suspicious behavior. Upon detection, an alert is sent out, and a series of incident response actions is immediately launched. These actions can work to quarantine the threat, shut down affected devices, or offer additional actions to mitigate the threat.

Are you seeing enterprises consolidating their cybersecurity vendor landscape and reducing complexities in cybersecurity stacks? How does this consolidation contribute to better crisis management and overall resilience during cyber threats?

CISOs would like to stay on top of the multiple cyber threats their organizations face today and are looking for a consolidated platform that provides integration of consoles for monitoring and managing platforms, automating threat response, and security at the endpoints, applications, perimeter, cloud, and data level with an end-to-end Zero Trust Strategy and having a strong AI/ML-driven intelligence engine.

What, in your opinion, are the key advantages of a unified security offering, and how does it address the visibility gaps and integration challenges seen in organizations using disparate security tools?

Interoperability, better visibility, reduction in false alarms, improved functionality, data centralization, effective sharing of threat intelligence among tools, smooth orchestration, and an improved MTTR in the environment in case of any breach, are some of the key advantages of a unified security platform.

What are the best practices you would suggest to improve cyber resilience through reduced complexities, increased visibility, and effective detection and response?

To enhance cyber resilience, I recommend implementing several best practices:

· Conduct comprehensive employee cybersecurity training, consistently aiming to refine policies and procedures.

· Adhere to industry standards such as NIST and CertIN guidelines.

· Regularly review internal cybersecurity strengths and weaknesses.

· Integrate the Zero Trust framework to validate all access requests before granting access.

· Foster collaboration among tools and technologies using APIs to enhance integration and partnerships.

· Utilize robust AI/ML-based platforms to proactively defend against and protect from emerging threats.

What are the major cybersecurity trends you see as organizations move towards digital transformation and cyber resilience?

As the role of the CISO continues to evolve, aligning with the priorities of the board, it signifies a notable shift in cybersecurity strategy. With increased budget allocations, leadership is actively engaging in cybersecurity initiatives. Achieving cyber resilience hinges on fostering enhanced collaboration across various organizational functions, including Application, Cloud, Infrastructure, and Security teams.

In the upcoming year, discussions around generative AI and Privacy will take center stage, considering their profound impact on the industry. Additionally, cybersecurity stack consolidation is emerging as a prominent trend, streamlining security measures and optimizing resource utilization.