Exposure management should be exposure remediation

Cybersecurity strategies haven’t evolved—they’ve oscillated. We’ve swung from prevention-first security to assume breach models to the shift-left security movement. Each phase tried to fix the failures of the last. But what if the real problem isn’t the pendulum—it’s the chaos it creates?

Information security

From Prevention to Assume Breach to Shift Left — Why Cybersecurity Needs a New Strategy

Barak Klinghofer April 8, 2025

The Pendulum Is Broken
By Barak Klinghofer, Co-founder & CEO of Reclaim Security

Introduction: The Evolution of Cybersecurity Strategy

Cybersecurity strategies haven’t evolved—they’ve oscillated. We’ve swung from prevention-first security to assume breach models to the shift-left security movement. Each phase tried to fix the failures of the last. But what if the real problem isn’t the pendulum—it’s the chaos it creates?

The pendulum metaphor is no longer accurate. Today, we’re not swinging—we’re spiraling. Faster. Louder. More unstable.

Phase 1: Prevention Was the Comfort Blanket

Keyword focus: prevention-first security, traditional cybersecurity

Prevention was once the holy grail of cybersecurity. If we bought enough tools, hardened enough systems, and ticked enough compliance boxes, the attackers wouldn’t get in.

But as digital environments expanded and attack surfaces grew, prevention became too expensive, fragile, and blind to sophisticated threats. Yet, we clung to it because of its comforting simplicity.

  • Buy this.
  • Install that.
  • Sleep better.

It felt like progress. But often, it wasn’t.

Phase 2: Assume Breach—A Critical Turning Point

Keyword focus: assume breach model, threat detection, incident response

The assume breach mindset was a sobering reality check. It shifted the industry’s focus toward detection and response, acknowledging that attackers might already be inside.

But it had unintended consequences:

  • It created complacency.
  • It discouraged proactive hygiene.
  • It let critical issues like exposure management and misconfigurations fester.

Assume breach helped us cope—but it didn’t solve. It made cyber defense reactive, not resilient.

Phase 3: Shift Left—Good Intentions, Poor Execution

Keyword focus: shift-left security, DevSecOps, secure SDLC

“Shift left” promised to embed security into development workflows—from design to deployment.

In theory:

  • Threat modeling at design
  • Security testing in CI/CD pipelines
  • Automation to catch issues early

In reality:

  • Endless scan results
  • No prioritization
  • Tickets thrown over the wall

Instead of empowering developers, security became a bottleneck again. We didn’t shift security left—we scattered ownership without guidance.

Automation & AI: The Trust Deficit

Keyword focus: AI in cybersecurity, security automation, intelligent threat response

Attackers have already embraced AI and automation:

  • Automated recon
  • AI-generated payloads
  • Scalable social engineering

Defenders? We’re still hesitant to let AI tweak configurations or take action. Not because we can’t—but because we’ve been burned.

One bad script can:

  • Take down production
  • Lock out the CEO
  • Trigger a compliance audit

There’s a painful irony: Attackers trust AI more than defenders do.
That imbalance is costing us—and it’s only going to grow.

The Breaking Point: Security Economics Don’t Add Up

Keyword focus: security ROI, cybersecurity budget, security operations efficiency

More tools. Same team. Faster changes. No time.

We’ve reached security saturation:

  • Too many dashboards
  • Too few results
  • Burned-out teams
  • Boards demanding metrics
  • CFOs demanding efficiency

Security debt isn’t just technical—it’s operational and emotional. Throwing more tools at the problem isn’t working.

What’s Next: A New Cybersecurity Posture

Keyword focus: modern security strategy, balanced security approach, adaptive cybersecurity

The next evolution won’t be a single trend. It’ll be a balance of cybersecurity principles:

????️ Prevent what you can
???? Detect what you must
???? Fix what matters
???? Automate the rest
???? Measure everything

This is the future: not dogma, but disciplined flexibility. If your strategy depends entirely on one vendor, one methodology, or one trend—you’re already behind.

Final Takeaway: Don’t Chase the Pendulum—Outlast It

The best security leaders don’t follow hype. They build resilient systems and adaptable teams. They focus on fixing what’s broken today—without breaking the business tomorrow.

Because in the end, the biggest threat isn’t ransomware, misconfigurations, or even zero-days.
It’s inertia.

Originally published on Linkedin