Benchmark Tests for Measuring IT Security

For companies, understanding the true state of their own IT security is critically important. Yet a challenge persists: Security product vendors have an obvious incentive to portray the threat landscape as more dangerous than it actually is. Can benchmark tests counteract this bias?

The IT security industry operates in a unique environment. Success here must be measured differently than elsewhere. By its very nature, it’s not smooth IT operations – but rather newly discovered gaps in the security architecture – that grab the attention of corporate decision-makers. Companies therefore often resort to worst-case scenarios to justify the urgency of new security solutions. So how can executives determine whether their current security strategy is genuinely effective?

What Are Benchmark Tests?

To address this question, an increasing number of providers now offer benchmark tests. Benchmarking refers to a methodology used to assess the performance of IT systems and system categories. It involves defining standardized test parameters, enabling objective comparisons across different vendors. Originally developed to compare hardware, benchmark tests have since gained significant importance in evaluating IT security systems. However, enterprise IT security architectures are highly complex and fragmented – making the development of meaningful, actionable benchmarks a decidedly intricate undertaking.

How Benchmark Tests Work for Assessing IT Security

Benchmark tests now play a major role in comparing IT security systems. (Source: iStock / PeopleImages)

When assessing IT security through benchmark tests, two distinct dimensions are distinguished: normative and technical security. Normative security encompasses goals and regulatory or policy-based requirements; technical security refers to the actual implementation that supports those objectives. To conduct a benchmark test, various components of the IT security system are assigned to predefined categories – for example, governance and risk management, or security monitoring. Subsequently, internal company data is analyzed. The depth and scope of this analysis depend on both the benchmark provider’s methodology and the client’s specific requirements.

All of this serves a single purpose: to enable meaningful comparison with other vendors and security systems. Accordingly, the value of any benchmark test hinges on the provider’s ability to incorporate extensive anonymized data from numerous peer organizations – so results can be properly contextualized and benchmarked. Only then do the findings become truly insightful. At the conclusion of a benchmark test, clients receive a detailed report covering multiple facets of their own IT security posture. This report should directly answer core IT security questions – such as the cost-to-implementation ratio, or identification of areas where performance falls short.

Conclusion: Especially in organizations where the IT security landscape has grown increasingly opaque, benchmark tests can provide valuable clarity. They serve as a solid foundation for building a more efficient, targeted IT security strategy – and, when executed rigorously, empower decision-makers to engage security vendors with greater confidence and competence.

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Header Image Source: iStock / Tero Vesalainen

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TL;DR

How benchmark tests work for assessing IT security Benchmark tests now play a major role in comparing IT security systems. (Source: iStock / PeopleImages)
By its very nature, it’s not smooth IT operations – but rather newly discovered gaps in the security architecture – that grab the attention of corporate decision-makers.
Companies therefore often resort to worst-case scenarios to justify the urgency of new security solutions.
So how can executives determine whether their current security strategy is genuinely effective?

Key Facts

Attack dwell time: On average, attackers remain undetected inside corporate networks for 204 days.

SMEs in the crosshairs: 43 percent of all cyberattacks target small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common cyber threats facing enterprises?

According to the BSI (Federal Office for Information Security) Threat Landscape Report, ransomware, phishing, DDoS attacks, and supply-chain compromises rank among the most frequent threats. For German companies, regulatory risks – including GDPR and NIS2 compliance – add further pressure.

How much should a company invest in cybersecurity?

Industry experts recommend allocating 10 to 15 percent of the overall IT budget to cybersecurity. According to Bitkom, German companies currently average 14 percent. Crucially, it’s not just the amount – but the strategic distribution across prevention, detection, and response – that determines effectiveness.

Does every company need a CISO?

Not every organization requires a full-time Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), but every company must assign clear, board-level accountability for IT security. SMEs can leverage external or virtual CISO services. With the NIS2 Directive, management-level responsibility for cybersecurity is now enshrined in law.

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