Tackling Technical Debt in Cybersecurity: A Veteran’s Guide

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CISOs - Technical Debt Consolidation
Tim Grieveson
Written by Tim Grieveson
Senior Vice President, Global Cyber Risk Advisor (former)

Let’s talk technical debt. It’s that silent, creeping problem many of us have faced—those quick fixes and shortcuts we took to keep things running smoothly. They accumulate over time, leaving us with a tangled web of outdated systems and patchwork solutions. In cybersecurity, this isn’t just a minor annoyance—it’s a ticking time bomb.

So, what’s technical debt consolidation? In simple terms, it’s about identifying, prioritizing, and addressing these accumulated security gaps. It’s about clearing out the clutter, updating old systems, and implementing consistent security practices. It’s about transforming your security landscape from a patchwork quilt into a fortified fortress.

Why Consolidate Technical Debt?

When I was a CISO, we used a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) to analyze our Shadow IT infrastructure. We discovered multiple instances of the same type of software: dozens of project management tools, cloud applications that hooked into critical business applications and shared data, and many different security tools that provided the same capability.

By understanding our application footprint and consolidating these we not only improved our overall  security posture but we identified opportunities to reduce overhead in terms of storage, compute, and service desk time. We also provided better governance and opportunity to optimize resources and repurpose budget to fund other security projects and areas needing urgent attention.

I can think of a couple reasons why vendor consolidation should be listed among a cybersecurity leader’s priorities.

  • Enhanced Security

In identifying, prioritizing, and fixing vulnerabilities, you're reducing the attack surface, minimizing any misconfigurations which have left open access to systems, and reducing the possibility of data exposure. This reduces the risk of cyberattacks—plain and simple.

  • Improved Efficiency

​​​​​​​Streamlining and updating systems isn’t just good for security—it’s good for business. It boosts performance, reduces downtime, and cuts operational costs. It also allows an understanding of where resources can be repurposed (both people and technology), which makes good financial sense when IT and security are often asked to do more for less or more for the same budget.

  • Regulatory Compliance

​​​​​​​GDPR, NIS2, SEC, DORA, Cyber Security Bill, Cyber Resilience Act—keeping up with regulations can feel like a full-time job. Consolidating technical debt helps ensure your systems and processes meet current standards, helping you avoid penalties and build trust with stakeholders. A simplified infrastructure generally leads to simplified application of regulations.

  • Future-Proofing

The cyber landscape is always evolving. Addressing technical debt now prepares your organization for future technological advancements and cybersecurity challenges.

3 Strategies to Approach Technical Debt Consolidation

1. Assessment and Prioritization

  • Identify: Conduct a comprehensive audit of your systems, software, and security practices. This will shed light on shadow IT and hidden risks. Pinpoint those areas where technical debt has accumulated.
  • Evaluate: Determine the impact of each issue on your overall security posture. How big is the risk? What’s the potential damage? Making sure that they've got the applications secured and protected in the right way.
  • Prioritize: Rank the issues based on severity and potential risk. Use analytics and data to prioritize and address the most critical vulnerabilities first.
  • Communicate: Gaining Executive and Board support is essential. Having the appropriate metrics, data, and visibility enables clear communication about the risks faced and supports threat-informed decisions for developing mitigation plans that align with an organization's risk appetite.
Don't just look at your internal infrastructure. Look at external, third-party and fourth-party assets to try and understand what the value and the impact of those are. That helps you build your business continuity, your business resilience.

 

2. Remediation

  • Update and Patch: Ensure all software and systems are up-to-date with the latest patches. This isn’t a one-time job—it’s an ongoing process.
  • Replace Legacy Systems: Gradually phase out outdated systems. Replace them with modern, secure alternatives.
  • Standardize Security Practices: Implement consistent security measures across your organization. Eliminate the fragmented security policies that lead to vulnerabilities.
Use frameworks such as NIST or ISO 27001, and guidelines such as the CISA KEV Catalog to look at critical vulnerabilities and make sure that those are addressed first. This helps you prioritize your assets so that you know which ones you need to focus on and recover.

 

3. Continuous Monitoring and Improvement

  • Regular Audits: Schedule regular security audits to continuously identify and address new technical debt.
  • Training and Awareness: Educate employees on the importance of maintaining security practices. Prevent the accumulation of new technical debt.
  • Leverage Automation: Use automated tools to continuously monitor and manage your organization’s security posture. Automate processes wherever possible: certificate management, for example, can be automated to reduce the burden on security resources. This allows your team to focus on meaningful activities that support the business.
Consider the impact of regulations across regions and geographies, such as the SEC mandates in the United states, or DORA and NIS2 in the EU. If you don't know what assets you've got, how can you effectively disclose and provide assurance to customers, investors, and regulators in a timely manner?

 

A CISOs Compliance Playbook Strategies to meet NIS2_DORA and PS21-3 Requirements

A CISO's Compliance Playbook

Stay ahead of the compliance curve. Dive into our playbook curated by Tim Grieveson, Senior Vice President and Global Cyber Risk Advisor. Unearth insights to not just comply but lead in the era of NIS2, DORA, PS21/3, and emerging cyber regulations.

Download playbook

Bringing It All Together

Technical debt consolidation can not only secure critical business assets but also contribute to optimizing both technical and personal resources given the visibility that security teams often have across an organization's infrastructure. It’s about ensuring that your organization is secure, efficient, and compliant.

This gives CISOs and security professionals the opportunity to talk to the wider business in a common language and tell their cybersecurity story backed by data and threat intelligence. In a context where cybersecurity teams need to do more with less, this is a chance to inform decisions around the program and improve collaboration.

It isn’t always easy. Some systems and applications that need to be replaced might be running in an old version of Windows or the old version of a protocol, but you will be able to understand what compensation controls you can put in place, what separation and segmentation you need to provide to secure those.

So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work. It’s time to tackle that technical debt head-on and build a cybersecurity strategy that’s not just resilient, but visionary. Your future self—and your organization—will thank you.