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Organizations can spend less on cybersecurity by consolidating genuinely overlapping tools, removing unused or duplicate licenses, negotiating renewals before committing, and redirecting investment toward the risks and control gaps that matter most. These steps can reduce waste, but no source establishes a typical savings amount: “millions” is not a guaranteed or research-backed outcome.
How can organizations spend less on cybersecurity?
Start with evidence about what the organization owns, uses, needs, and pays for. Then assess each proposed reduction against the protection it provides and the total cost of operating it. A lower invoice is not a saving if it creates a control gap, adds staff workload, or requires costly replacement work.
Gartner’s public 2024 abstract supports consolidation as a way to improve total cost of ownership, efficiency, integration, and control coverage. It also cautions against removing best-of-breed functionality when doing so would significantly reduce efficacy. Gartner’s 2025 cost guidance emphasizes continuous spend reviews, business priorities, and supplier flexibility. These principles support four practical levers.
1. Consolidate tools only when coverage remains adequate
Build an inventory that maps each security product to the capabilities it provides, the users and systems it serves, the teams that operate it, and the requirements it supports. A pair of products with similar labels may still perform different jobs or provide useful independent coverage.
#1 Best Overall
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key C NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key C NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key C NFC via USB-C and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
For each proposed consolidation, check whether the remaining tool can meet the needed detection, prevention, response, integration, and reporting requirements. Include the cost of migration, implementation, support, and staff training—not just subscription fees. Gartner also recommends weighing user experience, vendor support, roadmap execution, and indirect benefits alongside total cost.
- Document which controls and workflows depend on each product.
- Confirm that the retained product meets the required coverage and performance needs.
- Estimate transition and ongoing operating costs, including integration and staffing.
- Keep a product when its unique capability or operational value justifies its cost.
Do not remove a control just because two vendor names appear to overlap. CISA’s foundational guidance, for example, includes changing manufacturer default passwords and using multifactor authentication; these should not be treated as optional savings targets.
Rank #2
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5 NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5 NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5 NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
2. Find unused licenses and duplicate technology
Review application and license records against actual use. Look for outdated applications, low-usage subscriptions, duplicate tools, and shadow IT—the technology acquired or used outside the organization’s normal purchasing and oversight processes. These are candidates for investigation, not automatic cancellation: a rarely used product may still support a critical recovery, administrative, or compliance task.
Gartner’s 2025 IT cost guidance recommends reviewing spend continuously and making reductions before contract commitments. Assign owners to confirm business need, usage, and dependencies before changing a license or service. Include support tiers and related costs in the review so that a cheaper license does not leave a necessary capability unsupported.
Rank #3
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5C NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5C NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5C NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
3. Prepare for renewals before negotiating
Use the period before renewal to gather an accurate inventory, usage data, contract terms, and documented requirements. Identify what the organization will keep, reduce, or discontinue, and determine which flexibility it needs. Gartner’s cost guidance recommends renegotiating with suppliers for greater flexibility and aligning renewals with business priorities.
- Record renewal dates and notice deadlines for security contracts.
- Gather seat counts, utilization, support history, and the capabilities the organization actually needs.
- Document requirements and identify services or tiers that no longer fit them.
- Discuss terms that better match expected use and business priorities before committing to another contract period.
Negotiation is a procurement tactic, not a guaranteed discount. The defensible opportunity is to avoid renewing terms that do not fit actual needs and to seek flexibility where it matters.
Rank #4
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key NFC via USB-A and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
4. Direct investment to risk and measurable outcomes
Evaluate spending against the control gaps and risks each capability addresses. Prioritize investments where exposure is greatest; consider automation or process simplification when it improves efficiency without creating new gaps. Gartner’s 2026 guidance recommends targeted investment in areas with the greatest gaps and risks, and automation where possible.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11A maturity assessment can help structure the review. Gartner describes a cybersecurity controls assessment spanning NIST CSF 2.0, ISO/IEC 27002, NIST SP 800-53 revision 5, and CIS Controls v8.1. Its page describes access for Gartner for CISOs clients at no additional cost, not a service that is generally free.
For each proposed cut or investment, document the expected effect on risk, control coverage, operational effort, and business outcomes. This makes it easier to distinguish a genuine efficiency improvement from a reduction that merely transfers cost or risk elsewhere.
Compare proposed savings before approving them
| Decision factor | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Risk and control coverage | Which risks does the capability address, and what coverage would be lost or retained? |
| Utilization and overlap | Who uses the product, how often, and does another capability actually meet the same requirements? |
| Total cost of ownership | Include licenses, support, integration, migration, training, and ongoing operating costs. |
| Operational impact | Assess effects on staffing, usability, workflows, and response capability. |
| Contract timing and flexibility | Check renewal deadlines, commitment periods, and whether terms can better fit actual needs. |
| Business and security outcomes | State what measurable outcome the spend supports and how a change would affect it. |
The sources support these cost-management practices, but they do not establish a typical dollar or percentage saving. Any estimate depends on an organization’s current contracts, tool usage, risk profile, and operating costs.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Gartner, “Simplify Cybersecurity With a Platform Consolidation Framework” (March 26, 2024; public abstract).
- Gartner, “5 Actions for Cybersecurity Cost Optimization” (July 2, 2025; public abstract).
- Gartner, “Strategic IT Cost Optimization That Goes Beyond Slashing Spend” (April 28, 2025).
- CISA, “Take the First Steps Towards Better Cybersecurity With these Four Goals”.
- Gartner, “Cybersecurity Controls Assessment – Measure Maturity”.
- Gartner, “Gartner Identifies the Top Cybersecurity Trends for 2026” (February 5, 2026).
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