Why SecOps automation needs a mission statement first

 

Connecting state and local government leaders

True automation and full transformation of SecOps needs a vision that’s more than adding tools and data streams and recognizes the constraints and strengths of public-sector organizations.

Automation is touted as the holy grail of security operations, promising to fundamentally alter how we manage, analyze and execute. Government agencies with limited budgets competing for cybersecurity professionals are looking to automation to keep pace with the escalating number and complexity of cyberattacks.

Even though agencies realize historical approaches to SecOps are no longer enough, there remain many hurdles to achieving effective automation. They can fall into the trap of thinking an automation strategy means deploying more platform technology or generating huge volumes of data. Instead, they must do a much better job of accurately defining automation to do it properly and gain ground from it. Otherwise, they’ll fall further behind and create more work.

Most organizations have barely started their SecOps automation efforts, but government is well positioned to succeed because agencies understand what it means to have a public mandate. Successful automation requires a “mission focused” mindset, not an engineering one.

Automation platforms create more work

SecOps automation is uncommon in any industry, but government has recognized it must reduce manual tasks to meet the needs of citizens while spending their tax dollars more wisely. Unfortunately, what little automation has found footing in the public sector is platform-based and devised by engineers for engineers.

That’s not true automation.

The current platform-based paradigm fails because it means agencies must hire engineers who are versed in proprietary technologies to deploy and manage yet another platform along with all the daily activities that come with it: documentation, writing rules, developing best practices and creating playbooks. Government agencies end up competing with the private sector for security talent and risk dependence on a propriety platform that may not exist several years from now. And as with all tech solutions, these platforms are rarely effectively utilized, which means the agency never benefits from the full capabilities.

All this platform automation adoption actually puts agencies further behind and grows the labor curve instead of reducing it. Further compounding the problem is that automation platforms generate reams of granular data that end up exacerbating the labor shortage because agencies then need people who know how to turn data into knowledge -- automation platforms don’t automatically do this.

True automation and full transformation of SecOps needs a vision that’s more than adding tools and data streams and recognizes the constraints and strengths of public-sector organizations.

SecOps automation means figuring out what decisions must be made by a person and which can made autonomously. Ideally, to end up with a single macro-decision rather than 30 micro-decisions requires  a rigorous understanding of how current processes work and if and how they can be automated.

Product managers building and selling platforms don’t have that understanding, yet they’re the ones designing how these automations will work based on idealistic view of what goes on in a security operation center -- a view that often doesn’t reflect reality.

True SecOps automation requires a different mindset

Security encompasses risk reduction, third-party risk, security controls and polices, implementations and audits. All are touched by automation, including tools and techniques. Although government agencies have their own sets of challenges, what SecOps must achieve is no different in government than elsewhere.

To effectively automate SecOps, agencies must be clear on the role they play in security. It often boils down to “thumping the bad guys” and making sure bad things can't happen again, or ideally, at all. They catch the criminals get them out of the organization and make sure they can't come back. Sounds much a like a mission statement, doesn’t it?

Unlike an engineering mindset that fosters a platform approach, a SecOps mindset requires a mission statement as a foundation for automation and operations. Yes, tools and data are important to executing the mission, but they shouldn’t increase the labor curve. Rather, they’re part of an inclusive mission statement that helps close the gap between when something pops up on the radar and when the correct business decision is made. The mission has nothing to do with implementing an automation platform. It should be making sure that the threat timeline -- from when a potential security incident is detected, fully remediated and the entire agency is confirmed to no longer be vulnerable to that attack -- is as short as possible.

Government agencies are all about mission statements and mandates. They’re essential for making sure services are delivered effectively and on budget. They also help define how things get done. Agencies must define their SecOps mission statement so they can achieve true automation and more effective security operations, regardless of technology platforms and data streams so they can deliver on the mandate to “thump the bad guys.”

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.