A solid foundation: Why platformization is the future of cybersecurity.

Many organizations have historically relied on a fragmented mix of security tools— a patchwork of solutions acquired over time to address various risks. 

However, this “Frankenstein” approach, as described in a recent interview with cybersecurity experts SEI’s Mike Lefebvre and Dave Detweiler, is leading to fragmented cybersecurity stacks that are complex, expensive, and inefficient.  

This complexity overcomplicates a defense strategy – something that can become quickly detrimental when you’re under attack. As Mike Lefebvre, Director of Cybersecurity for SEI Sphere puts it, “It’s almost like a chess game where the pieces don’t know what the other pieces are doing or where they are.” 

This shift is not just about consolidating tools—something that has quickly become a top priority for the C-suite in its own right—but about creating a more efficient, responsive, and future-proof security strategy.

Why disjointed tools are holding IT teams back

For many IT leaders, managing multiple security vendors has become a significant operational challenge. Dave Detweiler, Managing Director of Sales for SEI Sphere, shared a real-world example of a company with 700 employees and five regional locations that was juggling eight different security vendors. 

“One was an MSP, another was an MDR, and none were monitoring the entire organization holistically,” Detweiler explained. This redundancy and lack of integration led to inefficiencies, wasted budget, and a weaker security posture overall.

Beyond financial costs, fragmented security stacks slow down response times in critical situations. Lefebvre continued: “If you think about fragmented tools that were not meant to work together, you have to log into different systems individually, manually search through logs, and try to piece together an attack timeline after the fact. By working more upstream with integrated tools, we can paint a clearer picture of the digital landscape and improve our defensive posture.”

The inefficiencies of managing separate tools also extend to IT teams, who are often stuck performing manual tasks instead of focusing on strategic initiatives. In the example Detweiler provided, two employees were previously responsible for tracking down alerts from different vendors. After transitioning to a platform approach, one of them was freed to focus on identity management—an essential component of “zero-trust” security—while the other moved on to AI initiatives that could drive business growth.

The path to platformization: Steps for IT leaders to take

Shifting from a fragmented security model to a unified platform approach is not an overnight process, but organizations can take strategic steps to make this transition more seamless. Lefebvre outlined three key steps for IT leaders:

1. Conduct a digital defragmentation: Much like defragmenting a hard drive, organizations need to assess their current cybersecurity landscape. “You can’t go forward if you don’t know what you currently have,” Lefebvre explained. This involves evaluating all tools, processes, and contracts to identify redundancies and inefficiencies.
2. Align tools with an industry framework: Once an inventory is established, organizations should map their security capabilities to an industry-standard framework such as NIST CSF or CIS Controls. “This allows IT leaders to see where their gaps are and where they might have unnecessary duplication,” Lefebvre added.
3. Partner with an expert: Sometimes, organizations are too deep in their own operations to see the bigger picture. “It’s like being inside a jar and trying to read the label,” Detweiler noted. By working with an experienced partner, companies can gain external insight into how to streamline security operations and adopt a platform approach effectively.

For organizations unsure of where to start, resources such as the guidebook, “How platformization transforms security for the modern C-suite,” provide a roadmap for making this transition. 

“It’s a guidebook that’s valuable not just for IT teams but for executives as well,” Detweiler emphasized. “Because at the end of the day, moving to a cybersecurity platform isn’t just a technical decision—it’s a business decision.”

As threats continue to evolve, the companies that adopt a cybersecurity platform approach will be better positioned to defend against attacks, optimize IT resources, and drive long-term resilience.

Whether through improved visibility, reduced costs, or increased automation, the benefits of platformization make a compelling case for IT leaders looking to future-proof their security strategy.