The ReliaQuest Security Technology Sprawl Report 2021 surveyed 400 IT and security decision makers at companies with more than 1,000 employees on the effectiveness of their current security tools and technology stacks. The report found that, on average, enterprises maintain 19 different security tools, with only 22% of such tools serving as ‘vital to primary security objectives’.

ReliaQuest’s Security Technology Sprawl Report 2021’s headline findings include:

1. Most security tools are not being utilised to their full potential: 47% of existing IT security tools are used daily, respondents suggest. Eighty-five percent of security decision-makers believe they are adding technologies faster than they can productively use them – 71% of respondents admit most existing tools are underutilised.

2. While 91% upper-level management feel there’s a point at which the number of security technologies in use increases their organisation’s level of risk, only 56% of operations leaders agree.

3. Most enterprises struggle to measure return-on-investment for security tools, the survey found. Respondents most often measure their investments using three metrics: the number of critical vulnerabilities identified (52%); tool functionality (49%); and the percentage increase in visibility (48%).