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In today's fast-moving modern world, Cyber-attacks have become an increasingly potent threat to businesses of all sizes.
Frameworks are not a new concept to cybersecurity professionals, and the benefits are immense – nor do they need to be complicated to be effective. Among the seven most common cybersecurity frameworks or CSF, NIST is one of the most widely accepted.
Continue reading as we discover the benefits of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) and why it should be foundational to improving your organization’s cybersecurity posture.
NIST stands for the National Institute of Standards and Technology. One of the main purposes of this American establishment is to provide interested parties with the basic information needed to design technology-based frameworks.
Various of NIST frameworks are currently being used by U.S. federal agencies, multinational corporations, as well as many private sectors.
When former president Obama issued the executive order in 2013, his decision accounted for the reliability of NIST. The goal was to develop a cybersecurity framework that’s both voluntary and efficient. NIST needed to produce a CSF that was sure to reduce cyber threats and attacks. In turn, this aim will also include eliminating any pending or future risks from infiltrating the susceptible, American infrastructure.
The institute’s CFS was officially released in 2014. The first version of the cybersecurity framework only lasted four more years before the world’s need for expansion demanded that an upgrade be made. As a result, in 2018, version 1.1 of NIST’s CSF was born.
While NIST still continues to add more and more sub-categories to their latest installment, their CSF has since been clarified, refined, and extended—enough to incorporate even small businesses as well as various contractors.
With that in mind, let’s answer the bigger question here: how does the NIST cybersecurity framework function?
As is the case with any framework, its design must follow or be built on certain pillars. By understanding what those pillars are, you gain a better picture of how exactly this framework functions.
When it comes to the NIST CSF, their latest version works in accordance with five essential features. Below, we take you through a brief overview of each.
‘Identification’, as the name implies, includes reading the corporation’s business environment and assets. This is a necessary step because it helps the framework identify potential vulnerabilities and weak spots your business may have.
After identifying possible threats, comes ‘Protection’. This feature will typically reinforce the appropriate safeguards in areas where they’re needed the most. The framework will then use access control as well as data security and maintenance to protect the agency.
‘Detection’ differs from ‘Identification’ in that it detects anomalies and threatening cyber events before they’ve taken place. It encompasses certain processes, such as security monitoring and timely awareness of cybersecurity affairs.
‘Response’ relies heavily on ‘Detection’. Once a risk has been detected, NIST’s CSF will implement the necessary response measures to deal with these threats. Some actions usually include planning, analysis, mitigation, and improvement.
‘Recovery’ is the final step as it aids the framework in business continuity and making sure that operational systems are functional again. It is vital that ‘Recovery’ take’s place after a cybersecurity event has been remediated.
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework has become one of the most powerful assets for businesses looking to protect their data from cyber risk. Moreover, it's widely adopted and designed to easily match any sized business.
Here are just some of the benefits that the NIST Cybersecurity Framework can provide.
Keeping in mind the main pillars that we went through above, it’s worth repeating that NIST’s CSF will greatly improve the corporation’s infrastructure.
The more important your data is, the higher risk your enterprise is at as well. With NIST, however, you can rest easy that all sensitive information is safe.
To reiterate, once NIST’s cybersecurity framework is fully implemented, it’s function is to constantly monitor for possible cyber events and potential threats.
The framework is designed to grant you continuous protection from current and future risks that may harm your business.
Besides many great features, the framework is highly flexible and adaptable as well. This is beneficial because you can mend the CSF to better suit your business needs.
Keep in mind, the NIST cybersecurity framework still maintains the same foundation and basic pillars; it simply makes it easier for organizations to adopt their security measures.
Since more and more companies are now using NIST CSF, in addition to the fact that it is government-approved, this framework is a popular choice for many starting enterprises.
By implementing this CSF, you increase your opportunities with external stakeholders and other interested parties as they know to trust the security of your infrastructure.
One of the prominent issues that harm businesses is the miscommunication that often happens between those in leadership and the technical teams working behind the scenes.
NIST’s CSF was built with transparency in mind. Not only is it an intuitive framework, but even non-technical minds will be able to understand the theory behind it.
The NIST CSF has achieved more in its first decade than most of its counterparts have. As such, the benefits of the NIST cybersecurity framework are designed to cover all of your business needs.
From strengthening the infrastructure to bridging the gap between CEOs and their technical teams, NIST is a widely accepted way to protect any business from ever-changing cyber threats.
It’s essential to keep your business protected from cyber attacks. Please keep the above information in mind as you prepare for today’s challenges. And if you’d like more information or assistance in protecting your data by utilizing effective cybersecurity solutions, please get in touch with the trusted industry experts at Systems X today.
Systems X connects you with modern cybersecurity solutions. Learn more about our services here.
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