Network vs Cybersecurity: Can’t We All Just Get Along?

In our latest cinematic endeavor, we dive into the minds of two seriously fed up network and cybersecurity professionals.

If the video below triggered something in you, then we apologize. Perhaps your organization could benefit from a little therapy as well? When network and cybersecurity teams struggle to work together, then everybody suffers. 

Won’t somebody think of the coworkers?

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In a recent report from IDG, the complex dynamics between network and cybersecurity teams were thoroughly explored. One large finding was that an astounding 86% of surveyed organizations have suffered repercussions due to lack of collaboration between the two groups. 

Two major consequences of this clash are increased security breaches and data loss, and it goes even deeper than that: these teams also report a slow response to security events (34%), service downtime (27%) and more.

How can we ensure that organizations feel prepared to protect the network against future threats when the folks in charge can’t seem to agree? Increasing trust and understanding is a huge must. There’s a tug of war over responsibilities, and this leads to a vicious cycle of missed threats, finger pointing and an inevitable scramble to fix the issue. This might sound like an incredibly daunting undertaking – but there’s hope.

While a business’ network teams may be struggling to get along, 82% of network and 92% of cybersecurity professionals understand that fighting is getting them nowhere, fast. This is highlighted by the fact that in organizations that do have cooperating teams, there are loads of benefits, including better network visibility for the cybersecurity team, and an overall higher level of mutual trust. 

The key component to note here is visibility: our survey showed that organizations that provide complete visibility to cybersecurity staff end up with a higher level of confidence that they are very well-equipped when protecting the network when the need arises.

Unfortunately, only 37% of cybersecurity respondents mentioned that they have this level of visibility. In order to get this change underway, we need to understand what these teams are feeling and going through. 

Unsure of where to start? Our upcoming webinar on September 27, How Internal Dysfunction Is Putting Your Network At Risk, is a great option. This webinar will feature IDG’s Bob Bragdon, and BlueCat’s Director of Product Marketing Darren McPhee, in a discussion on the findings of the report, and what organizations can do to help bring network and cybersecurity teams together.