How can alert fatigue be prevented in cybersecurity?

In an interview with Wise TV, Doğan Holding CISO Gökay Düzay discussed the issue of “alert fatigue” faced by cybersecurity teams and the underlying reasons behind it.

“This problem has existed for a very long time, and I believe it will persist in our country for quite a while longer. The one thing we seem unable to implement here is the ‘separation of duties.’ No company manages to achieve this, primarily because we continue to struggle with finding qualified personnel for security roles. You end up running an operation that requires a ‘Swiss Army knife’ approach—trying to manage everything at once—and while there are plenty of technologies available to help filter these through the right alert sets, it remains impossible for an administrator to process 500 alerts a day coming from five different systems. Naturally, this is not an issue that can be resolved in the short term. It will only be solved once a proper separation of duties is established, allowing everyone the time to focus on the alerts that fall within their own specific areas of responsibility. Frankly, I don’t see any other potential solution.”

Separation of Duties and Security Management
Security management has become one of the most critical issues in today’s business world. In an era defined by rapid technological advancement and digitalization, security threats are proliferating at an equally fast pace. In this context, the principle of the “separation of duties” plays a vital role in security management. However, the challenges encountered in implementing this principle can impact a company’s security strategy. In this article, we will examine the relationship between the separation of duties and security management.

What Is the Separation of Duties?
The separation of duties is a principle whereby different functions within an organization are managed by separate, distinct units. This allows each unit to focus on its own area of ​​expertise and operate more effectively. However, the application of this principle—particularly in security management—can encounter various challenges.

Challenges in Security Management
Security management may face issues such as a shortage of qualified personnel, which hinders a company’s ability to respond effectively to security threats. Furthermore, when a manager is confronted with hundreds of alarms in a single day, managing them efficiently becomes impossible.

Technological Solutions and Alarm Management
Today, numerous technological solutions are available for security management. When combined with the right sets of alarms, these solutions can provide a more robust defense against security threats. Nevertheless, the effective use of these technologies requires the application of the principle of the separation of duties.