Security Solutions | 5 mins
Security is often presented as a cost-driver but, in reality, it can unlock substantial value for your business. Your return on investment (ROI) from cybersecurity can skyrocket if you consider the enhanced trust and reliability it could foster in your customers, both current and future. Being viewed as an organization with a rock-solid cybersecurity posture will pay off in the short and long term.
The way to flip the security discussion on its head, from one that focuses on increasing IT outgoings to one where huge savings can be made, is to change your mindset around security. Many companies see cybersecurity as a reactive endeavor. It’s all about enacting better safeguards before the next attack. But the damage has already been done.
To drive better ROI from your cybersecurity strategy it’s time to go on the attack. It’s also important that companies embrace automation, removing repetitive manual tasks so security teams can focus on adding value. The economics of automated penetration testing that meets hackers on their own terms certainly makes more sense than adopting the same old, ineffective, and costly approaches to cybersecurity.
Traditional methods aren’t fit for the modern threat landscape (or modern IT budgets). Below, we explain how you can move away from them.
Offensive, not expensive
In our recently published whitepaper, The ROI Guide to Offensive Security, it’s clear that the old ways of shoring up cyber defenses are costly and ineffective. Previously, many organizations only re-evaluated their security practices in response to an attack. However, this leaves companies vulnerable to exploits affecting unknown assets and targeting unknown risks.
According to the SANS Institute’s Building a Resilient Offensive Security Strategy, over three-quarters of organizations are increasing their offensive security practices because of unknown risks. However, although this change in mindset is to be applauded, simply adopting a more proactive security posture is unlikely to be enough to plug budget gaps.
Although traditional offensive security methods, including manual penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and attack surface management, may mean that your approach to cybersecurity is less reactive, they place a substantial burden on your IT team’s resources. Costs alone can ramp up quickly, especially if organizations possess a large number of assets, all needing to be manually tested or configured to ensure protection. In addition, your team may need regular training to remain up-to-date with the latest risks and optimal remediation steps.
Other problems that accompany traditional offensive security methods include the strong likelihood of blind spots. Research by Security Magazine has shown that there are over 2,200 cyberattacks each day or approximately one every 39 seconds. This demonstrates why going on the offense with manual tools simply doesn’t cut it. Not only do legacy tools require a sizable amount of costly manual work, but they only test a fraction of your potential risks - and infrequently, at that.
A further challenge emerges once your security risks have been identified. The efficiency of your remediation efforts is decreased by tools and reports that contain unvalidated risks and false positives. Without proper contextualization, it becomes impossible to prioritize the security gaps that need plugging first. This leaves organizations relying on a scattergun approach to threats that are both costly and bound to leave some vulnerabilities unpatched.
Given that the average cost of a single data breach is $4.45 million, according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023, it’s essential that when offensive security tools are employed, they are used in such a way that they minimize the burden on IT budgets. Fortunately, this is possible if businesses make use of the right security tools.
Automate before it’s too late
To gain the economic benefits of adopting an offensive approach to security, it’s essential that businesses combine a proactive security strategy with automation tools. The economics of automated penetration testing are appealing to firms because there are significant savings to be made in terms of time, money, and other resources.
In fact, lower costs are the primary reason why many companies choose to embrace automation - for security and other areas of the business. A recent survey of CFOs, conducted by Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the Federal Reserve Banks of Richmond and Atlanta, found that among organizations that had implemented automation during 2023, over 85% cited cost savings as a motivating factor.
Automated penetration testing can help prevent security teams from becoming overwhelmed by manual tasks. For instance, manual testing can result in teams spending an average of over 25 minutes investigating each alert. When this is added up across the many alerts teams are set to face in an increasingly risky threat landscape, security teams have little time for anything else. They are simply treading water.
Other challenges also rear their head when businesses rely on manual cybersecurity, which can result in IT budgets spiraling out of control. They may find themselves relying on expensive third-party penetration tests, utilizing legacy security tools, or committing themselves to the time-consuming manual logging of assets. These factors not only increase the expense of cybersecurity but also limit its effectiveness.
Slow, laborious, poor-quality cybersecurity processes can cause significant revenue losses and financial damages. If security failings lead to a breach, businesses could face sizable regulatory or compliance fines. In addition, the reputational damage that may occur is likely to be long-lasting. Will former customers return to an organization that has suffered a serious cyberattack?
Hadrian’s solutions demonstrate the many advantages to be had when organizations combine automation with an offensive security posture. By employing Hadrian’s automated penetration testing, you can realize huge cost savings as a result of heightened resilience and real-time continuous risk monitoring. As a result of providing organizations with measurable evidence showing their reduced risk of suffering a breach, they’ll also enjoy more preferable terms and conditions for their cyber insurance policy, leading to further cost savings
Additional evidence of the greater ROI that can be achieved from automated penetration testing comes from the collaborative and streamlined workflows that businesses can enjoy. With enhanced visibility and Hadrian’s Orchestrator AI tool, organizations can simplify their offensive security workflows, autonomously validate risks, and remediate threats fast - all without seeing their security costs escalate.
At Hadrian, we understand that IT budgets are tight. Costs are growing across the board, but simply throwing more money at an increasingly advanced threat landscape won’t be enough. To gain better ROI on your cybersecurity, both offensive and automated approaches are key - and Hadrian’s solutions embody both. By adopting a hacker’s mindset, aligned with the latest in AI-powered offensive security, we offer to safeguard all your assets, all the time.
Find out more regarding the economics of automated penetration testing the ROI Guide to Offensive Security from Hadrian. Can’t afford to revamp your security processes? It’s more likely that you can’t afford not to.
