Extracting the Value of Observability in Cyber

I often hear from my peers and customers that observability is not a cyber solution. Well, I am here to tell you that it is as much as cyber offering as anything else. Observability in cyber refers to the ability to track and monitor various components of an organization's infrastructure, such as its network, applications and data, in order to identify potential threats, diagnose issues and optimize performance. The value of observability in cyber can be significant, as it enables organizations to proactively detect and respond to security incidents, reduce downtime, and improve the overall resilience of their systems.

Observability provides organizations with the ability to capture and analyze data from various sources in real-time, allowing them to quickly identify anomalies, detect malicious activity and isolate security breaches. It also helps organizations gain insight into how their systems are functioning, providing valuable data that can be used to optimize performance, reduce operational costs and improve customer experience.

Moreover, observability enables teams to collaborate and share insights across departments, facilitating better communication and decision-making. By providing a holistic view of the entire infrastructure, observability helps organizations streamline workflows, reduce complexity and enable faster incident response.

The value of observability in cyber is significant, as it helps organizations improve their security posture, optimize system performance, and enhance collaboration and communication across teams. As such, it is an essential tool for any organization looking to protect its digital assets and maintain business continuity in the face of growing cyber threats.

What are the top 3 use cases for observability in cyber?  

1. Security and threat detection: Observability provides a real-time view of system performance, which can be leveraged to detect potential security breaches, malware and other malicious activity. Security teams can use observability tools to monitor network traffic, application logs and user behavior in order to quickly detect anomalies and investigate potential threats.
2. Incident management and resolution: Observability enables IT teams to quickly diagnose and resolve incidents by providing detailed insight into system performance and identifying the root cause of issues. This helps organizations to reduce downtime, minimize the impact of incidents and ensure business continuity.
3. Performance optimization: Observability provides valuable data that can be used to optimize system performance, reduce operational costs and improve customer experience. IT teams can use observability tools to identify performance bottlenecks, optimize resource allocation and track the impact of changes on system performance. This helps organizations deliver better products and services, increase customer satisfaction and drive business growth.

XDR and observability 

XDR (extended detection and response) is a security technology that provides a unified view of security incidents across an organization's entire digital environment. XDR solutions integrate data from multiple security tools, such as endpoint detection and response (EDR), network detection and response (NDR), and cloud security posture management (CSPM) in order to provide a comprehensive and centralized view of security incidents.

Observability is a critical component of XDR, as it provides real-time visibility into the performance of an organization's digital environment, which is essential for detecting and responding to security threats. By providing a holistic view of system performance and security events, observability enables XDR solutions to quickly identify and respond to security incidents, as well as prioritize and triage alerts based on their severity and impact.

XDR solutions that leverage observability can also help organizations improve their incident response processes by providing real-time data and insights that enable security teams to quickly and efficiently investigate and resolve incidents. This helps organizations reduce the time and resources required to investigate and resolve security incidents, while also improving their overall security posture.

The cost of implementing observability

The cost of implementing observability solutions in cyber can vary depending on the scope and complexity of an organization's digital environment, as well as the specific tools and technologies used. However, some common factors that can impact the cost of implementing observability include:

Tooling and technology: The cost of observability solutions can vary depending on the specific tools and technologies used. Some observability solutions may require significant investment in hardware and software, while others may leverage open-source tools that are freely available.

Staffing and training: The implementation of observability solutions may require additional staff to manage and operate the technology. Additionally, there may be a need for training and professional development to ensure that staff are equipped to use the technology effectively.

Integration and customization: The cost of integrating and customizing observability solutions to an organization's specific needs can also impact the overall cost of implementation.

Maintenance and support: Like any technology solution, observability solutions will require ongoing maintenance and support, which can also impact the overall cost of implementation.

The cost of implementing observability solutions in cyber can vary significantly depending on the organization's specific needs and requirements. However, the value that observability can provide in terms of improved security and performance can make it a worthwhile investment for many organizations.

WWT has experience in data protection, zero trust architecture (ZTA), platform optimization and all necessary components for successful security transformation. Additionally, we possess a deep understanding of the security landscape that is informed by battle-tested security experts that include former CISOs and senior members of the intelligence community. Our world-class partnerships with security industry leaders, leading security OEMs and the security venture capital community make WWT an unparalleled partner for security transformation.