Security Automation
Percentage of security processes automated
Current Value
47%
+12% from previous period
Industry average: 35%
Calculation Method
(Number of automated security processes / Total number of security processes) × 100%. Weighted by process complexity and frequency.
Significance
This KPI measures how effectively your organization has automated routine and repetitive security tasks. Automation reduces human error, improves response times, and allows security teams to focus on higher-value activities that require human judgment.
Definition
Security Automation measures the extent to which your organization has implemented automated solutions for security operations, detection, response, and governance processes. It tracks progress in eliminating manual effort for repetitive tasks and standardizing security workflows.
Significance
Security teams face a growing volume of alerts, vulnerabilities, and compliance requirements while typically being short-staffed. Automation helps teams scale their capabilities without proportional headcount increases.
This KPI helps organizations track progress in modernizing security operations, reducing manual effort, accelerating processes, and minimizing human error in critical security tasks.
Calculation Method
Automation score calculation:
- Identify all security processes that could potentially be automated
- Assign each process a complexity weight (1-5) and frequency factor (1-5)
- For each process, determine automation level (0-100%)
- Calculate weighted score: Σ(Automation level × Complexity × Frequency) / Σ(Complexity × Frequency × 100)
- Express as a percentage
Benchmark
Industry average: 35% security automation
Best practice targets: >70% overall automation; >90% for alert triage and vulnerability management