Compensating Controls: The Unsung Heroes of Cyber Resilience
Article updated and refreshed February 3rd, 2026. When ideal controls aren’t possible, intentional alternatives help reduce exposure. Most security teams know what the “right” controls look like on paper.But real-world environments rarely match the blueprint. Between legacy systems,limited staffing, and overlapping tools, the gap between what’s ideal and what’s feasible is often wide. That’s where compensating controls come in. They aren’t shortcuts.