Leading the Charge in Cyber Risk Mitigation: From Gut Feeling to Objective Evaluation
Cybersecurity has evolved into a critical business risk that impacts revenue, operations, reputation, and competitiveness. Despite this, many organizations still rely on subjective approaches driven by gut feelings or limited data, often overlooking hidden threats in data silos, shadow IT, outdated software, or supply chain vulnerabilities.
Transitioning from intuition to objective, data-driven risk management is not as disruptive as it may seem. Even with legacy systems and data silos, organizations can make this shift successfully. According to a recent Ivanti survey of cybersecurity professionals, common blockers like limited visibility and outdated software are prevalent but can be overcome with structured frameworks and AI-powered analytics.
The key takeaway is that organizations do not need a complete overhaul to enhance their risk management practices. Incremental changes, guided by structured frameworks and AI analytics, can lead to faster decisions, clearer priorities, and improved resilience without unnecessary complexity.
Overcoming Common Roadblocks
Most organizations face obstacles when trying to assess risks effectively. It is common to rely on incomplete information, especially when data is scattered, and teams are overwhelmed. Subjective approaches often fail to detect hidden risks such as shadow IT or outdated assets. Recognizing these pitfalls is crucial for overcoming them.
Objective evaluation, facilitated by exposure management platforms, consolidates enterprise-wide data, assesses risks based on real business impact, and utilizes structured frameworks and AI analytics for tangible outcomes. However, many organizations struggle to apply their risk tolerance frameworks rigorously due to data access constraints and talent shortages.
Modernizing Your Cyber Risk Approach
Practical steps outlined in Ivanti’s Exposure Management Strategy Guide include inventorying cybersecurity tools, assigning asset criticality scores, prioritizing vulnerabilities based on risk exposure scores, conducting cost-benefit analyses, and continuously reviewing risks and controls for adaptation.
Metrics That Matter
IT teams can enhance risk evaluation by focusing on metrics such as asset criticality scores, vulnerability exploitation likelihood, risk exposure scores, time for detection and response, EOL software usage rate, and data silo integration progress. These metrics provide valuable insights for proactive risk management.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Risk Decisions
Generative AI synthesizes vulnerability and threat data to create business context reports and risk framework templates. On the other hand, agentic AI automates inventory, prioritization, and ongoing risk scoring, with human oversight playing a critical role in validating outputs and setting thresholds.
Inside Ivanti’s Exposure Management Platform
Ivanti’s suite offers continuous discovery and prioritization based on impact and likelihood, automated identification of external exposures, data aggregation across various platforms, seamless patch management integration, and collaboration tools. Users of Ivanti’s platform have experienced significant improvements in data integration and response times.
In the words of Karl Triebes, Chief Product Officer at Ivanti, transitioning from gut feelings to data-driven cyber risk decisions not only enhances security but also helps businesses adapt and thrive by making smarter investments and building resilience.
Your Action Plan for Measurable Cybersecurity
To kickstart your journey towards objective cyber risk management, consider downloading Ivanti’s resources, using readiness checklists, benchmarking visibility gaps, and reaching out to Ivanti for expert guidance.
Embracing Cybersecurity as a Strategic Enabler
Organizations that adopt objective, data-driven cyber risk evaluation gain resilience, make informed decisions on resource allocation, and gain a competitive edge in the long run. With the right tools and approaches, cybersecurity transforms from a cost center into a strategic business enabler.
To explore how Ivanti can assist your organization in adopting an objective approach to cybersecurity risk management, visit their website for more information.