Many clients come to us overwhelmed by their security setup. After piling on tool after tool, they realize it’s not the foolproof strategy they imagined. Instead, they’re grappling with rising costs, management headaches, and unfulfilled expectations. Gartner reports that most organizations manage between 10 to 15 vendors and around 60 to 70 security tools. That’s a lot to handle, and when these tools aren’t integrated properly, they can create gaps and increase the risk of breaches.

At the same time, relying on just one tool may not be enough or the best option—the CrowdStrike outage in July 2024 showed the risks of putting too much on a single vendor. The outage disrupted service and left many organizations temporarily blind to threats, showing how a single point of failure can jeopardize coverage. The best approach lies in the middle: a unified system with carefully chosen tools that work together under a centralized management platform. This way, you get strong, reliable protection without the complexity or added vulnerabilities of disconnected systems.

The Downsides of Security Tool Sprawl

What exactly is tool sprawl? Tool sprawl happens when an organization keeps adding more and more software tools, often from different vendors, without considering how well they integrate. It might seem like a good idea at first, but it can cause some serious problems in cybersecurity. Here’s how:

• Operational Inefficiency: Managing a collection of disconnected tools creates segmented workflows that don’t communicate effectively. This slows down processes and increases the chance of mistakes. Not-so-fun fact: a ReliaQuest study found that 69% of security teams dedicate more time to managing tools than actually defending against threats.
• Increased Costs: Each tool comes with its own costs—licensing, training, maintenance—you name it. Integrating them and dealing with overlapping controls takes up even more time and resources. You might even needing to hire multiple specialized staff members just to keep operations running, which can quickly stretch your budget.

Security Gaps: Ironically, having too many tools can leave your organization exposed. Poorly integrated systems create blind spots, making it easier for threats to slip through. A Microsoft report found that organizations with multiple tools experienced 31% more security incidents compared to those with fewer tools—15.3 incidents versus 10.5 on average.

When tool sprawl creates more problems than solutions, a unified security platform offers a smarter, streamlined approach to enhance protection and efficiency.

Why Unified Security Platforms Are the Smarter Choice

From visibility to threat detection, there are compelling reasons why a unified security platform is a better choice:

Better Visibility and Control

A unified security platform simplifies monitoring and threat response by consolidating all your tools into one interface. Instead of juggling multiple systems that only provide partial insights, you gain a clear, comprehensive view of your entire security posture. This allows your team to identify risks faster and take action without wasting time pulling data from disparate sources.

By breaking down silos created by disconnected tools, a unified platform also makes collaboration smoother. Teams aren’t hindered by fragmented workflows or clunky integrations. From a sample of companies already using a unified security platform, 97% reported a positive impact on collaboration between security and development teams.

Cost Efficiency

Unified platforms can save you money. Instead of paying for separate licenses for each tool, you pay a single fee for the platform, which can also integrate third-party tools as needed. Training becomes simpler, as your team only needs to learn one system instead of multiple workflows. With fewer tools to manage, you’re not just saving on software costs—you’re also reducing staffing needs.

Faster Threat Detection and Response

Unified systems significantly improve threat detection and response times. Since they connect all your tools, they can automatically correlate data, eliminating the need to switch between systems or piece information together manually.

Take a ransomware attack, for example. If a standalone threat detection tool flags an issue, your team might need to manually pull data and update the incident response tool. A unified system automates this process, reducing the risk of human error and shortening mean time to acknowledge (MTTA) and mean time to repair (MTTR).

How to Get Started with a Unified Security Approach

Setting up a unified security system takes some planning, but it’s worth it for the efficiency and protection it offers. Here’s a breakdown of what to focus on:

Step 1: Review Your Current Tools

Start by looking at what you’re already using—your Mobile Device Management (MDM), Identity Provider (IdP), and endpoint security solutions. The goal is to figure out where there’s overlap, redundancy or inefficiencies.

For example, you might have two endpoint security tools that both offer malware protection and incident response. Instead of paying double the licensing fees and managing two systems, you could consolidate into one comprehensive tool.

Check if your tools work well together. Can they share data, or are they creating gaps in visibility? Finally, assess the time, cost, and expertise needed to maintain your current setup. Compare that to a more streamlined system to identify potential savings.

Step 2: Build a Roadmap

A clear plan makes all the difference. Here’s how you can approach it:

1. Evaluate Your Environment: Look at your setup—cloud, on-premises, and remote. Are there coverage gaps, like untracked data flows between cloud and on-premises systems?
2. Set Goals: Define your objectives. Are you aiming for faster response times, automating remediation workflows, or improving overall visibility?
3. Choose the Right Platforms: Select tools with integrated threat intelligence and automation. Bonus if they incorporate AI/ML for scalability and future-proofing.
4. Plan the Rollout: Start with a high-priority area, like cloud monitoring, and integrate features like multi-factor authentication (MFA) for remote users. Scale up from there by extending security to on-premises systems and integrating tools like endpoint protection and automated threat response.
5. Keep Stakeholders in the Loop: Share metrics like MTTA and MTTR to show progress. Reports from monitoring tools can also help demonstrate reduced incidents.
6. Stay Updated: Regularly update your system with new AI-driven insights to adapt to evolving threats.

Step 3: Bring in the Experts

You’ll still need the right experts to set up a unified system, but it’s far less resource-intensive than managing the costly staffing demands of tool sprawl. With a unified system, you focus on hiring specialists who can maximize your tools’ potential without needing large teams to manage redundant systems.

Two key roles to consider are:

If you don’t have these roles in-house, our team can help. We connect businesses with top cybersecurity talent to make sure your system is set up right the first time.

Embracing Unified Security for a Resilient Future

Creating a cybersecurity system that works starts with tackling tool sprawl and moving toward a more unified approach. Consolidating tools and processes into a centralized system doesn’t just simplify your setup—it strengthens your security, cuts costs, and makes it easier to respond to threats quickly.

It’s definitely a big shift, but it’s worth it. Our team specializes in providing cybersecurity solutions and custom software development services to fit your company’s unique needs. If you’re ready to make the transition, we can help you get there.