How To Construct An Effective Security Controls Evaluation
TechTarget, Thursday, May 7th, 2026
A framework for evaluating security controls across effectiveness, maturity, and efficiency dimensions to optimize risk reduction per dollar invested.
This article outlines a comprehensive approach to security controls evaluation that moves beyond compliance audits to measure controls across three key dimensions: effectiveness (does the control work?), maturity (how reliable is the supporting process?), and efficiency (what is the economic cost?).
The author argues that CISOs often manage security controls without proper contextual data, which undermines decision-making and wastes resources. By correlating these dimensions with quantitative risk scoring, organizations can calculate "risk reduced per unit cost," identify underperforming controls, and make informed decisions about resource allocation.
The approach helps justify rescoping or removing legacy controls and highlights opportunity costs - recognizing that resources invested in inefficient controls could be deployed toward more valuable security measures like container scanning or cloud security posture management.