In today’s hyper-connected world, digital transformation is not just a strategic initiative — it’s an operational imperative. The complexity and frequency of cyber threats have escalated dramatically over the years. Check Point Research recorded a 30% year-over-year rise in global cyberattacks between Q2 2023 and 2024, the highest increase in the past two years. Cybercriminals are getting creative to get hold of valuable data, like infiltrating data on air-gapped computers using screen noise!
As a business leader, you're no stranger to the constant barrage of cyber threats that can cripple organisations. The challenge isn’t just defending against these attacks but managing the sheer complexity of security operations. With the average enterprise using 60 to 70 security tools, keeping them coordinated can become a herculean task.
In the APAC region alone, businesses face an average of 2,600 attacks per week in the last 6 months, according to Check Point Intelligence Report, compared to 1,710 globally. In this environment, securing digital assets is a critical challenge that requires both innovation and strategic foresight. Organisations need a strategy that consolidates disparate security solutions into a unified platform, enabling better coordination, improved visibility, and more effective threat prevention — platformisation.
The rise of platformisation
The growing adoption of platform security isn't a mere trend; it's a necessity driven by the evolving threat landscape. Executives are realising that traditional, siloed security tools are no longer sufficient. Platformisation reduces complexity by consolidating the management of security tools into a single pane of glass. It also enhances visibility, offering a holistic view of an organisation’s security poster, which allows for quicker threat detection and response.
Additionally, they drive cost efficiency by reducing licensing fees and resource demands, improve compliance by streamlining regulatory requirements and are highly adaptable, able to scale as business needs evolve. Platformisation also resolves issues faced by multiple organisations like the cyber security skills gap by automating security operations, simplifying management through unified interfaces, and leveraging AI-driven threat intelligence. This reduces the need for specialised skills, allowing smaller teams to handle complex threats efficiently.
But, as with every new technology, there are risks.
One of the concerns is vendor lock-in, where relying too heavily on a single platform can make it difficult to switch providers in the future. Another risk is the single point of failure—if the platform experiences issues, multiple security functions could be affected at once. Additionally, integration challenges may arise, as migrating to a unified platform can be complex and resource-intensive.
However, modern cyber security platforms are designed with resilience and redundancy in mind, equipped with fail-safes and backup protocols to minimise downtime and mitigate broader impacts. A unified platform doesn’t necessarily mean centralising all systems under one vendor, but rather integrating various security tools to drive collaborative security, enabling real-time oversight of the broad security status and enforcing controls across all enforcement points to prevent threats effectively. Ultimately, the benefits—enhanced security, streamlined operations, and cost savings—tend to outweigh these risks when approached strategically.
Here are some strategic best practices to ensure security can be seamlessly integrated:
- Foster a Security-First Culture: Make cyber security a core value of your organisation. Employees across all levels are likelier to prioritise it in their day-to-day actions.
- Align Security with Business Objectives: Ensure your security strategy safeguards digital assets and supports business goals. A well-integrated security framework enhances growth by enabling safe innovation.
- Invest in Continuous Education: Cyberthreats constantly evolve, and so should your team’s expertise. Keep updated on the latest security trends, emerging threats and best practices.
- Embrace DevSecOps: Integrate security into your development processes from the ground up, mitigating vulnerabilities before they become critical issues.
- Regular Risk Assessments: Conduct frequent evaluations of your security posture and adjust your strategy to keep defences robust against the latest threats.
Lastly, it is important to remember a phased approach to platform security integration is pivotal for sustainable success. Rather than trying to overhaul your entire security infrastructure at once, which can lead to interoperability challenges and divided focus, take it step by step. Deploy gradually, starting with a small internal segment for testing, and gradually expanding to other areas. This method allows for more manageable implementation and enables you to track clear, actionable success at each stage.
The future of cyber security lies in the power of platformisation. In today’s hyper-connected world, where cyber threats are escalating in complexity, adopting platform security is no longer optional but essential for organisations to remain resilient. The question is no longer whether to adopt platform security, but how quickly you can make the transition.
Contact us today to learn how Check Point's platformisation approach can streamline your security operations, enhance visibility, and protect your organisation from the growing array of cyber threats.
