Sponsored: Why Confidence In Your Security Stack May Be Misplaced – And What To Do About It

Despite cyber threats intensifying, many organisations say that they’re confident in their ability to withstand and recover from attacks.

But despite this strong self-assurance among IT leaders, new research from Computing exposes a widening gap between perceived cyber resilience and actual preparedness - leaving businesses exposed at a time when agility, security, and continuity are mission-critical.

In this article, we’ll examine why cybersecurity confidence can often be overestimated, the risks this creates, and how you and your customers can take more grounded, proactive steps to close the gap.

A dangerous disconnect

Recent research from Computing, which surveyed over 200 IT and security professionals, revealed that keeping up with the growing complexity and volume of cyber threats is the biggest issue for modern businesses. At a time where budgets are tight and competition is more fierce than ever before, it’s natural to be worried about your attack surfaces and defensive capabilities. However, 81 percent of those surveyed said they were very confident or somewhat confident in their security strategy.

On the surface it looks as though the IT world remains relatively strong in the face of evolving threats – but digging a bit deeper shows that this confidence is misplaced. Just 15 percent of those surveyed said they were always confident in having the resources to act on their alerts – while a third surveyed said they only sometimes, rarely, or even never have the time or expertise to act upon the information their tools provide.

This gap between confidence and action is alarming. Without regular reviews, modern upgrades, and executive attention, businesses run the risk of being hit by threats that they already see coming.

During a recent Computing webinar, Rob Pocock, Technology Director at Red Helix, agreed that there is a level of disconnect – one that can prove incredibly dangerous: “You’ve only got to look at the current news articles about breaches where you see large, well established, well resourced, well-organised companies getting breached.

“However, when you look into why that happened, the tools are there, and the confidence is there. But they also seem aware that they lack some of the human resources needed to maximise the offerings of those security tools.

“So, I think we need to start looking at the security stack not just as a technology, but as the people who use the technology – because you need both to be successful.”

Bridging the gap with MDR

Pocock’s comments highlight the reality that even well-resourced organisations with mature toolkits often fall short in the moments that matter – not because they lack visibility, but because they lack the operational capacity to act on it.

That’s where Managed Detection and Response (MDR) from Red Helix steps in; providing comprehensive cybersecurity-as-a-service, specifically designed to bridge the gap between alerts and action. It starts with establishing full visibility across the IT estate - using a combination of Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), Network Detection and Response (NDR), and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM).

Red Helix’s UK-based 24x7x365 Security Operations Centre (SOC) then continuously monitors these environments, detecting anomalous behaviour, containing threats in real time, and initiating appropriate response. The result is faster threat detection, lower operational burden on internal teams, and measurable improvements in cyber resilience.

By leveraging both innovative technology and decades of cybersecurity expertise, Red Helix helps organisations turn passive confidence into active protection - minimising cost, reducing risk, and ensuring businesses stay ahead of threats that could otherwise lead to significant financial, operational or reputational harm. And that lesser burden on internal teams is key at a time where hiring and retaining IT talent remains a top-of-mind challenge.

For the businesses struggling to convert their security investments into real-world outcomes, MDR offers a way to close the gap between what they know - and what they can actually do about it.

Interested in learning more? Hear the full deep dive into Computing’s research with Rob Pocock as well as Penny Horwood (Associate Editor, Computing) and Tom Fitton (Cybersecurity Analyst, Red Helix) on our recent webinar.

This Article is sponsored by Red Helix