IT Asset Management vs Cybersecurity Asset Management: What’s The Difference?

IT Asset Management and Cybersecurity Asset Management systems are both collective sets of IT processes and protocols designed to help network owners organize their digital properties.

The truth of the matter – no matter what service providers might claim – is that there are many areas of overlap between cybersecurity asset management and IT asset management. Both system types require a company to collate up-to-date asset inventories. Both systems work best when a company is able to identify its insufficiencies.

There are, however, plenty of differences too. This article takes a close look at the different features offered within these two frameworks. It is intended as a guide for business owners and IT professionals, with the aim of helping them make wise infrastructure management investments. Here is a quick breakdown of the two distinct management systems, starting with IT asset management.

IT Asset Management

IT asset management systems usually comprise of a series of processes designed to assess the lifecycle, costs and risk associated with different assets. Having a good picture of these variables can help a business to plan efficiently. IT asset management programs typically consist of three different strands:

Hardware Asset Management

This strand is concerned with the inventorying, management, and optimization of physical hardware IT systems. Most businesses use a variety of hardware IT devices. These can include desktop computers, servers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, specialized input devices, and presentation equipment. Some companies use even more specialized IT hardware such as Computer-Aided Design output devices.

Software Asset Management

This strand of asset management is concerned with the purchase, deployment, maintenance, and deletion of software. Software is either purchased or licensed for use by almost every company. Some software is accessed and hosted on the cloud, which can complicate the asset management process.

Cybersecurity Asset Management

Cybersecurity asset management systems like those produced by panaseer are designed to account for and manage assets with the specific aim of improving cybersecurity performance within an organization. Strengthening core security functionality through automated management is essential in organizations that have a great many assets to look after. Cybersecurity asset management usually consists of several key strands:

Continuous Control Monitoring

The identification of missing security controls. If controls are missing or ineffective, then IT staff need to be warned. Continuous control monitoring will notify human operators if any controls are missing or have been altered in any way.

Vulnerability Management

A key part of a cybersecurity asset management system is the evaluation of all assets in order to assess which of them may contain vulnerabilities. Malicious actors typically search for vulnerabilities to exploit in their quest to access digital spaces they are not authorized to enter. Vulnerability management is necessary in order to patch vulnerable software and hardware before hackers can make the most out of them.

Which Does Your Business Need?

Ultimately, a competent business with lots of IT assets will need to employ both IT asset management and more specialized cybersecurity asset management in order to efficiently and safely operate. While this can entail some extra costs, it can also save a great deal of woe and prevent compliance and security blunders that can cost a company millions. Business owners should allow the IT professionals under their command to decide what level of asset management automation is necessary within their network.

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Amy Nicholson
Amy Nicholson
Amy Nicholson is a highly skilled writer with extensive experience in the gaming industry. As an expert in writing for the gaming niche she has a deep understanding of the latest trends technologies and developments in the gaming world.

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