The CNAPP Illusion: Why Best-of-Breed Security Wins Over Patchwork Acquisitions & ASPM Is Still The Foundation
January 3, 2025
The cybersecurity industry loves yet another good buzzword. Right now, CNAPP (Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform) is the term being marketed as the ultimate convergence of ASPM (Application Security Posture Management) and CSPM (Cloud Security Posture Management). But here’s the reality: CNAPP isn’t truly a best-of-breed convergence—it’s an acquisition-fueled patchwork of separate tools stitched together.
Instead of thinking about CNAPP as the evolution of CSPM + ASPM, the reality is that security programs still require best-of-breed solutions in each category because:
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CSPM is focused on cloud misconfigurations and compliance.
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ASPM is focused on pre-runtime security execution and vulnerability prioritization in software development.
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CWPP,
RASP, and
EDR each tackle their own specialized aspects of runtime protection.
This means companies can’t just "buy a CNAPP" and assume they have complete coverage—it still comes down to whether you are prioritizing the right risks at the right time and enabling execution across security and development teams.
The Problem with CNAPP as a "One-Size-Fits-All" Approach
Most CNAPP solutions did not start as a unified platform—they are the result of multiple acquisitions, each originally designed for separate security functions. Take Palo Alto Networks, for example:
- CSPM & Cloud Workload Protection: Prisma Cloud (built from multiple acquired companies)
- ASPM (Attempted Expansion): Recent acquisitions & integrations from third-party sources
- Result: A collection of tools that “integrate” but don’t function as a truly cohesive, best-of-breed solution
Similarly, Wiz, the CSPM leader, acquired Dazz to enter the ASPM market, further proving that CNAPPs are trying to bolt on ASPM as an afterthought rather than engineering security culture from the core—at every single product team level.
Key Question: Is CNAPP a deliberate security strategy, or just a rebranded collection of stitched-together tools designed to check all the boxes?
What’s Missing in CNAPP?
1️⃣ CNAPP Doesn’t Solve Pre-Production Security
- If you don’t address vulnerabilities in development (ASPM), runtime tools will always be chasing threats in production.
2️⃣ CNAPP Doesn’t Prioritize Developer Adoption
- CNAPP bundles scanning and enforcement but lacks engagement & training to ensure security execution is happening at the source.
3️⃣ CNAPP Isn’t Purpose-Built for Software Teams
- Security teams might love the visibility, but development teams don’t get the contextual insights they need to fix issues efficiently—leading to friction, slowdowns, and security fatigue.
Best-of-Breed vs. Franken-Platforms:
What’s the Better Approach?
Instead of relying on CNAPP “platforms” that attempt to be everything but specialize in nothing, companies should adopt a best-of-breed strategy that aligns ASPM and CSPM as complementary, specialized solutions.
| Approach | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Best-of-Breed ASPM (Start Left) & CSPM | 🔹 Purpose-built for core problems 🔹 Fully integrated into DevSecOps 🔹 Flexibility in security tool choices | 🔹 Requires integration work 🔹 May need multiple vendors |
| CNAPP (All-in-One “Stitched” Platform) | 🔹 Single vendor relationship 🔹 Marketing-friendly “unified” solution | 🔹 Features often bolted on, not built in 🔹 Lack of depth in key security areas 🔹 Can create false sense of security |
The Reality: Security teams don’t need more checkboxes—they need solutions that actually solve security problems at the core instead of masking symptoms.
ASPM vs. CSPM vs. CNAPP vs. Runtime Tools
| Category | What It Does | Primary Focus | Key Users | Start Left's Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASPM (Application Security Posture Management) | Tracks, prioritizes, and enforces security within software development | Pre-runtime vulnerability management, developer adoption, security execution | AppSec, Engineering, DevOps | Foundation for pre-production security & risk reduction |
| CSPM (Cloud Security Posture Management) | Identifies misconfigurations and compliance issues in cloud environments | Cloud security misconfigurations, compliance | Cloud Security, IT, Compliance | Contextualizes cloud security risks to product teams |
| CNAPP (Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform) | Bundles CSPM, CWPP, and some ASPM-like capabilities | Cloud security enforcement, runtime protection | Security Teams, IT, DevOps | Not a true ASPM replacement—complements CSPM but lacks developer engagement |
| CWPP (Cloud Workload Protection Platform) | Protects running workloads from runtime threats | Runtime security for workloads | Cloud Security, SOC Teams | Focused on cloud runtime, doesn’t impact secure development |
| RASP (Runtime Application Self-Protection) | Monitors and blocks application threats in real-time | Detects and mitigates application attacks | Security, DevOps, Engineering | Reactive protection—doesn’t prevent vulnerabilities at the source |
| EDR/XDR (Endpoint & Extended Detection & Response) | Detects and responds to security incidents across endpoints & workloads | Threat detection & response | SOC, IT Security Teams | Focused on incident response, not proactive vulnerability management |
Why You Need ASPM as the Foundation
- ASPM ensures security is executed before vulnerabilities reach production.
- CSPM & CNAPP only react to issues once they’re already in the cloud.
- CNAPP isn’t a replacement for ASPM—it’s a security enforcement layer that still relies on pre-runtime security being done right.
💡 If ASPM isn’t in place, CNAPP & CSPM are just cleaning up problems that should have been fixed in development.
Why Start Left Champions Best-of-Breed Security
- ASPM & CSPM are fundamentally different functions. They serve different security teams, different risks, and different parts of the SDLC.
- Start Left is purpose-built for ASPM—we focus on secure development, vulnerability correlation, developer adoption, and execution.
- We complement true CSPM leaders, ensuring their insights are connected to engineering teams instead of living in silos.
- Enterprise security shouldn’t be an afterthought—it should be engineered from the beginning with best-in-class solutions that actually solve problems instead of just ticking compliance boxes.
The Bottom Line: ASPM and CSPM Need to Work Together—Not Get Forced Into a Single Platform
Organizations should be skeptical of the “one-size-fits-all” CNAPP pitch. Instead, security leaders should prioritize:
- Best-of-breed ASPM (Start Left) for developer engagement, pre-runtime security, and vulnerability prioritization.
- Best-of-breed CSPM for cloud security visibility and misconfiguration prevention.
- A security strategy that’s built deliberately, not stitched together from acquisitions.
Are You Building Security at the Core—Or Patching It Together?
If your security strategy relies on bolt-on acquisitions and marketing buzzwords instead of best-of-breed solutions, it’s time to rethink your approach. Let’s talk about how Start Left can complement your cloud security stack with purpose-built ASPM.
Also see: The Illusion of Integration: How CSPM & ASPM Acqusitions Are Building Silos Within a Platform
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