Introduction

The Security Bottom Line

Introduction - The Security Bottom Line

When organizations have dozens of security products installed, and yet still get breached, it begs the question: How much security is enough? How many products does an organization need? Which ones? How much should be spent on security? In other words, where is the security bottom line?

Security is something that organizations could spend infinitely on, trying to keep attackers at bay. But how much do they need to spend, and what do they need to do, to remain safe?And it goes beyond money. Perhaps an organization has a substantial budget for security, but hasn’t hired the right experts to execute its vision. Or maybe an organization has a reduced security budget, but has invested it wisely in the right people and technology – and on its most vulnerable or critical assets. Sometimes, much of an organization’s security is managed by a third party, and it doesn’t have the leverage to influence necessary changes or upgrades.So yes, budget is important when it comes to security. But it’s not everything. Where does your organization stand when it comes to security? Do you have the right people, processes, and technology in place to proactively defend your environment? Are you falling below the security bottom line, or rising above it?In this report, we will outline key factors for security success, as determined by our industry experts, and a group of roughly 80 participants in a recent, double-blind survey of security professionals conducted by Cisco. And of course, it wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t provide at least a little guidance on how to take your security to the next level.

"There are many dynamics to security challenges
beyond just money."

Wendy Nather, Head of Advisory CISOs, Cisco