Over the last decade, the complexity of IT ecosystems and sophistication of cyber threats have escalated to new heights. This evolution has intensified the need for IT and security teams to collaborate and partner closely.  

Historically, these two functions sat separately, sharing information only when required. However, the rapid adoption of diverse devices and operating systems, often referred to as ‘tech sprawl’, has left organisations struggling with complex, fragmented IT environments, significantly increasing the risk of security vulnerabilities and cyberattacks. As a result, keeping IT and security teams separate is no longer viable, and risks data breaches and system failures.  

With this in mind, here’s how organisations can break down barriers between the two departments and gain the visibility they need into the goals and objectives that drive the business forward.    

Bridging communication gaps 

While many organisations have made significant progress in aligning IT and security, communication breakdowns remain a challenge. Historically, friction between these two departments was driven by competing priorities. For example, for the CISO or head of the security team, the company’s security strategy and related incidents are key concerns, while for the CIO or head of IT, productivity, innovation and cost efficiency are more likely to be top priorities. 

Today, many IT and security teams need better alignment to set precise, objective milestones, understand roles and responsibilities, and have continuous communication between all stakeholders. And that alignment should map to the organisation’s overarching organisational objectives. 

This level of collaboration is essential for productivity and resilience. Misalignment can escalate into conflicts and drastically weaken an organisation’s security posture. For example, if security teams introduce stringent endpoint controls without consulting IT teams, who prioritise seamless user access, IT and the organisation could be caught off guard without a plan, creating friction that diminishes efficiency.​ 

Clearly documented roles and responsibilities, paired with practical collaboration tools such as tabletop exercises, can help address this issue. As the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) testifies, these exercises are critical for enhancing organisational preparedness and facilitating clearer budgetary support for shared initiatives.  

Leveraging shared skill sets  

The necessity for stronger IT-security alignment is further amplified by economic uncertainties and a widening IT skills gap. As Tech UK highlighted, businesses increasingly require professionals who possess both IT and security skills. 

Technical incidents, which often arise from poorly managed endpoints, like an employee’s device or a server, underscore this overlap. In fact, ESG found that 77 per cent of organisations experienced cyberattacks originating from inadequate, unknown, unmanaged, or poorly managed endpoints. 

Often, the same individuals responsible for managing those endpoints are tasked with investigating security breaches and forensics, making cross-functional expertise critical. Understanding whether the issue came from an unmanaged device or security system vulnerability is essential to diagnosing and resolving threats. 

Collaboration between hiring managers for both teams is crucial here. Organisations who recognise and bring on candidates with transferrable skills, will be the ones whose IT and security teams are better aligned.  

Centralised management 

As well as building versatile teams, organisations must also consolidate IT and security tools. With shared visibility through integrated platforms, both teams gain real-time insights into infrastructure status, threats, and vulnerabilities. These solutions help IT and security teams rapidly exchange critical information, accelerating their response to incidents and reducing the chance of errors or misunderstandings. 

Automation within centralised tools further reduces manual effort, allowing both teams to concentrate on strategic objectives rather than routine tasks like patching, scanning, and incident triage. Enhanced analytics and reporting capabilities facilitate deeper insights, better decision-making, and measurable performance improvements across both disciplines. By leveraging unified platforms, organisations foster alignment on priorities and shared accountability, ensuring IT practices consistently align with security standards and compliance requirements.  

Ultimately, centralised tools empower IT and security teams to become more agile and proactive, strengthening organisational resilience, improving efficiency, and enabling a cohesive, strategic approach to managing security and technology risks. 

Fostering collaboration: one team, one dream  

In an era where cybersecurity incidents have become inevitable, rapid detection and containment represent true success. Aligning IT and security teams closely enables quicker responses to incidents, maintaining business continuity even when threats emerge. 

Though we’ve made major strides in streamlining the way that IT and security teams collaborate, the ground is always moving. Organisations must continue to invest in deep collaboration between IT and security teams to experience faster threat detection and improved incident response, crucially supporting secure innovation and business scalability. 

Ultimately, organisations that prioritise clear communication, aligned leadership, shared skillsets, and integrated technology solutions will significantly enhance their cyber resilience and competitive agility. 

Mike Arrowsmith is chief trust officer at NinjaOne. 

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