IT and security teams are getting better are fighting security threats – but more still needs to be done

Commvault has unveiled a new report highlighting a significant shift in the dynamics between IT Operations and security teams.

The study emphasizes the increasing need for collaboration in the face of rising cyber threats, which damage companies financially and reputationally.

A survey of over 200 C-Suite and senior-level IT execs reveals a promising trend – 99% of respondents acknowledged a strengthened relationship between IT Operations and security teams over the past 12 months.

IT teams are finally working together

Around two-thirds noted that they now share goals for maintaining company security, and seven in 10 said that they had implemented joint processes and procedures for daily operations, marking a positive reduction in silos.

Commvault CISO Javier Dominguez stressed the importance of collaboration in the current threat environment: “Synergies between ITOps, security teams and the C-suite has never been more crucial as cyber criminals are deploying more sophisticated attacks powered by AI.”

Despite more closely aligned teams, the report says that more could be done. For example, while many have shared daily processes and procedures, fewer than half (48%) share processes and procedures to recover from an incident. 

Unsurprisingly, the study also sheds some light on the role of artificial intelligence in enhancing cybersecurity efforts, with more than two-thirds (68%) expressing optimism about AI’s ability to identify and respond to threats with accuracy. 

Many also see AI playing a role in automating employee training and security awareness (67%) and increasing the efficiency of daily operational processes (66%). Clearly some scepticism remains, because only half (52%) see AI helping to augment compliance monitoring and reporting.

Speaking about security silos, Krista Macomber. Research Director for The Futurum Group, a partnering organization for the study, said: “Utilising a host of fragmented data protection products can drive up costs, create management nightmares, give bad actors more avenues to exploit, and slow down recovery.”

While the report indicates that there’s a lot of work ahead, the outlook is at least positive in that teams are coming together to tackle what is a rising issue.

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