Benjamin Franklin once wrote: “For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for the want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for the want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for the want of care about a horseshoe nail.” It’s a saying with a history that goes back centuries, and it points out how small details can lead to big consequences.
In IT security, we face a similar problem. There are so many interlocking parts in today’s IT infrastructure that it’s hard to keep track of all the assets, applications and systems that are in place. At the same time, the tide of new software vulnerabilities released each month can threaten to overwhelm even the best organised security team.
