The Six Blind Men and the Security Elephant: A Case for Unified Controls Framework

A Case for Unified Controls Framework: Once upon a time, in the realm of cybersecurity, there were six experts, each specializing in a critical domain: Access Management, Asset Management, Risk Management, Incident Management, Data Protection, and Threat Management.

Like the blind men in the famous parable, each expert was deeply knowledgeable in their own field but struggled to see the bigger picture of cybersecurity as a whole.

One day, they were tasked with building a resilient and mature cybersecurity organization. Each expert approached the problem from their own perspective, convinced that their domain was the key to solving the cybersecurity challenge.

The Domains as the Blind Men

1. Access Management One blind man grabs the elephant’s tail and exclaims, “Cybersecurity is about managing who can access what! If we control permissions, identities, and roles, the problem is solved.” While vital, this perspective misses how attackers exploit assets or how incidents disrupt operations.
2. Asset Management Another blind man touches the leg and declares, “Cybersecurity is about knowing what we have! If we inventory all devices, applications, and data, and patch them, we’ll be secure.” But without considering risks, incidents, or threats, the assets remain exposed.
3. Risk Management Feeling the trunk, a third blind man says, “No, no, cybersecurity is all about managing risk! If we assess and mitigate threats, we can avoid breaches.” True, but this view lacks operational specifics like data protection or incident response.
4. Incident Management The fourth blind man grasps the ear and asserts, “Cybersecurity is responding to incidents! If we detect, respond to, and recover from threats, we’re secure.” While incident response is critical, ignoring proactive measures like access control and risk management is shortsighted.
5. Data Protection The fifth blind man holds the tusks and argues, “Cybersecurity is about safeguarding sensitive data! If we encrypt, classify, and monitor data flows, everything else will fall into place.” Yet, data protection alone doesn’t address the threats targeting other vulnerabilities.
6. Threat Management The sixth blind man feels the side of the elephant and insists, “Cybersecurity is understanding and neutralizing threats! If we identify malicious actors and their methods, we’ve solved the problem.” However, without controls like access and asset management, the threats remain uncontained.

Each expert was so focused on their own domain that they failed to see how interconnected their work was. They argued endlessly, each believing their approach was the most important. The organization remained vulnerable, as no single domain could address all the complexities of cybersecurity on its own.

Then, a wise leader introduced them to the concept of Unified Controls Framework. This framework, like the elephant in the parable, represented the entire cybersecurity ecosystem. It brought together all the domains, showing how they were interconnected and dependent on one another.

• Access Management ensured only authorized users could interact with Asset Management‘s cataloged systems.
• Risk Management informed Incident Management where to focus response efforts.
• Data Protection relied on Threat Management to identify emerging risks to sensitive information.

Unified Controls Framework tracked progress across all domains, ensuring no gaps were left unaddressed.

As the experts began to see the “elephant” as a whole, they realized that true cybersecurity maturity required collaboration across all domains. They stopped working in silos and started sharing insights, metrics, and strategies. Together, they built a resilient organization that could anticipate, prevent, detect, and respond to threats effectively.

In the end, they learned that cybersecurity is not about any single domain but about the integration of all domains into a unified, mature, and adaptive system. Only by seeing the elephant—the big picture—could they achieve true resilience.

Unified Controls Framework : Seeing the Whole Elephant

A unified approach is the key to “seeing” the entire elephant. By leveraging Unified Risk and Compliance Management and Tracking tools like Seconize DeRisk Center, organizations can:

1. Bridge Silos: Connect individual domains like access management, risk management, and incident response into a cohesive strategy.
2. Measure Maturity: Continuously track the organization’s cybersecurity maturity across all domains, ensuring no area is overlooked.
3. Adapt and Evolve: Stay compliant with regulations and respond dynamically to new threats by automating workflows and integrating insights from all domains.
4. Achieve Resilience: Build a resilient organization where risks are proactively managed, threats are countered, incidents are swiftly resolved, and compliance is seamless.

The Moral: Unity Builds Resilience

The story teaches us that solving the cybersecurity puzzle requires a holistic approach. Each domain, while critical, cannot operate in isolation. Only by integrating their perspectives and leveraging unified risk and compliance maturity tracking can organizations build a resilient cybersecurity posture.

In the end, the six blind men, guided by a unified strategy, finally “see” the elephant—the resilient, adaptive, and secure organization they were trying to create all along. This unity transforms fragmented efforts into a powerful, cohesive defense against the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.