Rip-and-replace is a wholesale replacement strategy: remove an existing system, then cut over to a new one in a single change window or short sequence of changes. In cyber security, it is attractive when old platforms no longer meet support, compliance, or security requirements, but it also concentrates risk because identity, network, endpoint, and application controls must all work at once.
This matters because a rushed replacement can create outages, lockouts, or security gaps if teams are already overloaded. In practice, defenders use the term when planning major infrastructure refreshes, identity migrations, or endpoint platform swaps. Good programs reduce risk by staging the change, validating access controls, testing rollback, and ensuring device management and monitoring are ready before cutover. The goal is to replace technology without creating a new attack surface through disruption.