Automating Cybersecurity

In today’s rapidly advancing digital landscape, cybersecurity has become a critical concern for businesses of all sizes. With the increasing frequency and complexity of cyber-attacks, companies want to automate their cybersecurity processes to reduce risk, improve efficiency, and bridge the skills gap.

The cybersecurity skills gap is a growing concern in the industry. According to the (IC) 2022 Cybersecurity Workforce Study¹, the global security workforce gap increased by 26 per cent, with 3.4 million additional workers needed to secure businesses effectively. This discrepancy will lead to a nationally significant cyberattack on a major US organization this year. This shortage creates a considerable challenge for companies trying to protect their data and systems from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

To bridge this gap, many companies are turning to automation. According to a report by KPMG, 81% of organizations surveyed have already implemented some level of automation in their cybersecurity operations. The trend towards automation is expected to continue, with the global market for cybersecurity automation and orchestration tools projected to reach $1.8 billion by 2024, according to a report by MarketsandMarkets⁴.

According to the Ponemon Institute, organizations that automate their cybersecurity processes can detect and contain a breach 63% faster than organizations that do not.

However, there are limitations to automating cybersecurity processes. One of the primary limitations is the difficulty in automating tasks that require human judgement or decision-making.

Another limitation is the potential for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in automated systems. Hackers can use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques to launch more sophisticated attacks that bypass automated security measures. This is known as adversarial machine learning, a growing concern in the cybersecurity industry.

Companies must take a holistic approach to cybersecurity automation to overcome these limitations.

One area where automation can be particularly effective is threat intelligence. According to a report by the SANS Institute, 49% of organizations surveyed have implemented some form of automated threat intelligence. This can help companies keep up with the increasing volume and complexity of threats by automating the collection, analysis, and dissemination of threat data.

Another area where automation can be effective is incident response. According to a report by McAfee, 51% of organizations surveyed are using automation to speed up incident response times. This can reduce the impact of a breach by allowing companies to respond quickly and effectively.

It requires careful planning, implementation, and management to be effective. Companies need to identify the right processes to automate, implement a robust governance framework, invest in the right technologies, and foster a cybersecurity-first culture within the organization. One way to ensure the success of cybersecurity automation is to involve all stakeholders in the process. According to a report by McKinsey, applying all stakeholders in the process can increase the likelihood of success by up to 30%. This includes IT and security teams, business leaders, and end-users.

Another critical factor in the success of cybersecurity automation is the ability to measure and monitor its effectiveness. Companies need to establish metrics and KPIs to measure the impact of automation on risk reduction, efficiency, and cost savings. This will help identify areas for improvement and enable continuous optimization of automated processes.

In conclusion, automation can transform cybersecurity operations by reducing risk, improving efficiency, and bridging the skills gap. However, automation has limitations, and companies must take a holistic approach to ensure its success. This involves identifying the right processes to automate, implementing a robust governance framework, investing in the right technologies, fostering a cybersecurity-first culture, involving all stakeholders, and measuring and monitoring its effectiveness. By doing so, companies can achieve their cybersecurity objectives and protect their data and systems from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

Disclaimer Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the respective institutions or funding agencies