American psychologist, Abraham Maslow, once said, “If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” The law of the instrument refers to a cognitive bias in which people want to use the same tool for every purpose.
This principle often applies to people’s behavior when implementing enterprise IT security. If the only tools used are firewalls, the perception is that your enterprise can be adequately protected with firewall rules.
Can you build a home with just a hammer and nails? The logical answer is “of course not.” Having saws, masonry devices, plumbing, masonry, and electrical tools would be best. If you somehow could erect a flimsy home with only a hammer and nails, the building would be guaranteed to collapse in a very short time.
In the enterprise, multiple integrated security tools should provide a balanced control framework. One tool is not enough; you need a toolbox. To fully illustrate this concept, we’ve created an infographic that visualizes some IT security building blocks.
In the meantime, you can grab the full PDF version of this infographic via the link below. So, please take a moment to download the PDF, print it out in full color, and display it in your office. And don’t forget to share it with all your techno colleagues so they can also update their security toolbox.
Download the full Security and Behavior Infographic now!