Skybox Security has released a report titled Breaking Down Exposure Management Silos: Confronting the Network-Security Disconnect, which highlights organizations actively strive for better collaboration between their network and security teams to bolster their defenses against cyber threats. However, a deeper look into the confidence of these processes reveals a wide gap between perceived effectiveness and actual outcomes.

“Within the next 12 months, even the most sophisticated security measures could be overwhelmed by AI-powered attacks. That is why the convergence of security and network operations is no longer a strategic advantage; it’s an existential imperative. Organizations must recognize that true collaboration requires more than conversation – it demands a unified approach to network and security management,” said Mordecai Rosen, Chief Executive Officer of Skybox Security.

Key findings of the report include:

• Collaboration gains momentum: 90% of organizations stated they have formal processes in place for network and security teams to collaborate on vulnerability and exposure management.
  With 81% of decision-makers perceiving their current collaboration levels as effective and a similar percentage (82%) reporting successful information-sharing practices, on the surface, organizations seem to be confident in managing exposures across network and security teams.
• Confidence in the effectiveness of communication remains low: Despite improvements in implementing processes, more than half (55%) of respondents are moderately or very concerned about the risk of a security incident due to a lack of collaboration between network and security teams. This apprehension is significantly heightened among C-level executives (67%).
  Given that almost half (45%) of organizations have experienced miscommunications that resulted in delays in reporting or addressing security incidents in the last 12 months, this concern seems well-placed.
• The high stakes of human error: These organizations’ concerns are not unfounded. Over three-quarters (76%) believe that miscommunication between network and security teams has negatively impacted their organization’s security posture to some extent.
  50% of respondents cited incompatible systems and siloed organizational structures as the most significant obstacles to effective collaboration between network and security teams. This lack of a unified source of truth can lead to critical oversights, leaving gaping holes in the security fabric.
• Embracing a new era of integration: The survey results reveal a strong desire for change. A significant majority, 3 in 5 respondents (61%), said they would be somewhat or very likely to implement an integrated solution for vulnerability and network security management to improve collaboration between the two teams.
  This intent is particularly pronounced among those who harbor deep concerns about security incidents stemming from collaboration breakdowns, with a staggering 92% expressing a likelihood of implementing such solutions.