As security strategies continue to develop, Chief Security Officers (CSOs) face a significant challenge: the binary choice of procuring software, services, and threat data from a single provider. While this approach may seem convenient, it often leads to a “hostage situation” where companies become heavily reliant on one vendor. This reliance makes it difficult and costly to switch providers, limiting freedom of choice. The lack of flexibility can stifle innovation and responsiveness to emerging threats, whether cyber or physical.
Challenges in the Current System
The current procurement model often ties companies to a single provider for their software, services, and threat data. While this might simplify initial implementation, it introduces several problems:
• Limited Freedom of Choice: Companies cannot easily switch components, leaving them locked into outdated systems and solutions.
• Higher Costs Over Time: Vendor lock-in makes upgrading expensive and limits competition.
• Complacency Among Providers: Vendors may focus on improving one area, such as services, while allowing software to stagnate, or vice versa.
This lack of modularity also means CSOs must overhaul their entire system just to adopt new threat data sources or improve operational services, leaving organisations vulnerable and inflexible.
A New Approach to Procurement
To address these challenges, industry experts are advocating for purchasing software, services, and threat data separately. No single provider can excel equally across all three areas, as each requires unique skill sets and expertise.
• Software as the Foundation: A robust, interoperable resilience software platform should sit at the heart of operations. Once this foundation is in place, organisations can easily integrate new threat data sources and services without the need to swap out their core system.
• Flexibility Through Modularity: This approach enables organisations to select best-in-class solutions for each component, driving innovation, cost-effectiveness, and operational efficiency.
If companies choose to provide all three—software, services, and threat data—they must now rise to the challenge of being best-in-class in every area. This forces them to innovate consistently across all domains and ensures their solutions are interoperable, giving customers greater control and flexibility.
The Path Forward
The future of CSO procurement lies in separating software, services, and threat data, allowing organisations to remain agile, responsive, and innovative. A modular approach not only avoids vendor lock-in but also ensures that systems can evolve with emerging threats and technologies.
Whether working with a single vendor or multiple providers, organisations must demand interoperability, ensuring that resilience software sits at the heart of operations while enabling freedom to integrate new threat data sources and services as needed.
Discover how a modular approach can transform your resilience strategy and unlock true operational independence.
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