U.K. Firms Conduct Orchestrated Approach to Cybersecurity

Enterprises in the U.K. are responding to a heightened risk of cyberattacks by integrating individual security tools into a unified security framework, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2024 ISG Provider Lens Cybersecurity - Solutions and Services report for the U.K. finds that security tools such as Identity and Access Management (IAM), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) and Security Service Edge (SSE) are increasingly being used in concert by U.K. enterprises to counteract cyberattacks that are growing in frequency, complexity and sophistication. Effectively harmonizing these disparate and potentially discordant elements of a security ensemble can improve threat visibility, detection and response times while streamlining security operations.

“Providers are developing unified management interfaces that consolidate various security functions into a single dashboard,” said Anthony Drake, partner and head of ISG in the U.K. and Ireland. “This simplifies administration and provides a more holistic view of the security landscape.”

Cybersecurity is becoming a strategic component that aligns security measures with overall business goals, the ISG report says. Now that cybersecurity is viewed not just as an IT issue but as a business problem, business and cyber leaders have begun working together on cyber-related topics, the report says. There is a growing trend toward including cyber experts on corporate boards, ISG says. This is particularly important in the time of an economic downturn when U.K. enterprises are seeking heightened assurance of the quality and return on investment (ROI) of their cybersecurity spends, the ISG report says.

By incorporating cyber resilience into their business strategy, enterprises in the U.K. can ensure that cybersecurity remains a priority at all levels of the organization, from the board of directors to front-line employees, the ISG report says. This helps to create a cybersecurity awareness culture and ensures that employees understand their role in protecting the enterprise’s assets, the report says. To further increase this awareness, enterprises should focus on providing regular and engaging training sessions that cover trends such as phishing and social engineering techniques, ISG says.