By Dilson Mesquita, Vice President of SOC Security & Consult Integration Services at Kyndryl and William DeForest, Director of Security Operations and Global Offerings at Kyndryl

Many organizations updated their cybersecurity measures in recent years, thanks to a global pandemic, a shift to remote and hybrid work, and a general rise in cyberattacks.

So as the threat surface expands — and new tools and more integrated operating models are added to help manage these challenges — it’s important for Security Operations Centers (SOC) and security managers to revisit their organization’s cybersecurity strategies regularly.

The reason: Many organizations now have too many technology systems and are weighed down by their increasing complexity, encumbered with an excess of tools — sometimes not fully utilized — and processes designed to manage various cybersecurity incidents.

But reassessing cybersecurity and resiliency processes and toolkits to optimize spending and reduce “bloat” without degrading current security posture can be challenging. Having a strong cybersecurity operations program in place requires an exhaustive, organization-specific review to identify ways to improve organizational cybersecurity and areas that can be optimized.

Here are five steps to reevaluate your cybersecurity operations:

Organizations today are inherently prone to change from external factors, such as shifting business needs and evolving cyberthreats. A strong cybersecurity program that’s aligned with the business’ short- and long-term objectives requires the team to have the freedom to adapt as needed to ensure the organization remains secure.

In recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, this is the fourth installment of a weekly series in October that highlights how organizations can anticipate, protect against, withstand and recover from cyberattacks.