Updated and refreshed July 30, 2025.
Businesses are constantly investing in new security tools to protect their digital environments. But many are only tapping into a small fraction of what those tools can actually do. In fact, a 2024 study by Ernst & Young found that organizations typically use just 20% of the capabilities available in their security stack.
That unused potential? It adds up to something called security debt: a growing risk for organizations of all sizes. Security debt occurs when tools capable of mitigating threats are underutilized, misconfigured, or left idle. The result: higher exposure, wasted spend, and burned-out analysts chasing alerts that better configuration could’ve prevented.
Understanding the implications of security debt, and taking steps to reduce it, can help your organization cut risk and get more value from tools you already own.
What Is Security Debt?
At its core, security debt is the gap between the security capabilities an organization has paid for and what it’s actively using.
Think of it like installing a top-tier home security system, but leaving half the cameras unplugged. The tools are there, but they’re not doing their job.
Security debt builds up for a number of reasons:
- Tool complexity: Many platforms are powerful but require deep expertise to configure correctly
- Limited training: IT and security teams may lack the time or skills to fully implement features
- Shifting threats: Controls are sometimes designed for past threats and left unchanged as new ones emerge
- Resource constraints: Competing priorities and limited budgets slow down rollout and optimization
The Risks of Security Debt
Security debt doesn’t just weaken defenses, it creates a false sense of security. A tool might be installed and appear “active,” but if key features are disabled or misconfigured, the protection it provides is minimal.
For example, an endpoint solution may offer anti-ransomware protections, but if they’re disabled by default or not enforced through policy, attackers still have an open door.
Misconfigurations like this often go unnoticed until it’s too late—when they’re exploited in the wild.
How to Reduce Security Debt
Reducing security debt doesn’t require starting over. Here’s a practical approach:
1. Conduct a Security Tool Assessment
Start with a current inventory of your tools. Map licensed capabilities against actual usage. Look for underused features, policy gaps, and signs of configuration drift.
Platforms like Reach help automate this step across products by surfacing unused capabilities and areas of unnecessary risk.
2. Prioritize Security Hardening
Focus first on critical controls. This means enabling key features, tailoring configurations to your environment, and avoiding “set-it-and-forget-it” defaults.
3. Align Controls to Your Threat Profile
Rather than turning everything on across the board, start with the features that matter most for your specific risks. For example, prioritize enhanced phishing defenses in email if that’s a high-risk vector for your users.
4. Reduce Redundancy
Too many tools can create overlap, friction, and operational drag. Consolidating tools can help your team focus on fully optimizing fewer platforms.
5. Invest in Team Enablement
Even the best tools underperform if no one knows how to configure or tune them. Ongoing training helps teams keep up with changes and get more from your investments.
6. Use Data-Driven Help
If your team is stretched thin, consider working with MSSPs or platforms like Reach that can help identify gaps, surface misconfigurations, and guide remediation steps without starting from scratch.
The ROI of Tackling Security Debt
Fixing security debt improves your security posture and delivers better ROI without buying new tools. You’re paying for these capabilities already. Using them more effectively means:
- Lower exposure
- Faster response
- More efficient operations
- Less analyst fatigue
Close the Gap Between What You Have and What You Use
Security debt is one of the most preventable risks in cybersecurity today. With the right visibility and action plan, organizations can turn idle features into active defenses.
Reach helps organizations identify underused capabilities, reduce misconfigurations, and take action fast.
Ready to tackle your security debt?
Book a demo to see what your tools are missing: https://www.reach.security/connect
FAQs About Security Debt
What causes security debt in an organization?
Security debt typically builds up due to tool complexity, limited staffing, misaligned priorities, and evolving threats that outpace control configurations.
How do you identify security debt?
Start with an audit of your security tools. Look for underutilized features, disabled protections, policy misalignment, and drift from original configuration baselines.
Is security debt the same as technical debt?
They’re related concepts. Technical debt refers to shortcuts in software development that lead to future costs. Security debt refers to unaddressed gaps in your security tooling or configurations.
How often should you review for security debt?
At least quarterly. Regular assessments help you catch misconfigurations and ensure controls align with your current threat environment.
What’s the fastest way to reduce security debt?
Prioritize critical risks, optimize existing controls, and use platforms like Reach to identify and automate changes that reduce exposure quickly.
