NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) Assessments
NIST CSF Assessment
Cybersecurity attacks aren’t going away. They’re continuing to rise in both sheer numbers and sophistication; and organizations of all sizes are being targeted. It’s no longer a matter of IF, rather it’s WHEN.
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) was developed through collaboration of government and industry to help organizations, in any sector or community, better manage and reduce their cybersecurity risk. Since the CSF is a flexible framework, organizations can utilize it to identify relevant cybersecurity risks and prioritize investments to maximize risk reduction.
The prioritized, flexible, repeatable, and cost-effective NIST CSF assessment completed by 360 Advanced helps organizations create and manage cybersecurity-related risk through a widely accepted and customizable lifecycle.
The NIST CSF Assessment facilitated by 360 Advanced will help organizations to better understand, manage, and reduce their cybersecurity risks. As a result of the assessment, risks and actionable activities are identified and are prioritized to reduce the impact on critical operations and service delivery of a cybersecurity attack. In turn, organizations can maximize the impact of each dollar invested in cybersecurity through improved communications, awareness, and understanding amongst IT, operating units, as well as senior executives of the organization. In addition to improved internal communications, organizations can also readily use the results of our assessment to communicate current or desired cybersecurity posture with outside entities.
360 Advanced CSF assessments provide organizations with actionable and informative deliverables, including recommended remediation, cybersecurity maturity by CSF function and domain, and identification of unmitigated cyber risks.
NIST CSF Core Functions, Implementation Tiers, and Profiles
The framework’s core functions – identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover – organize basic cybersecurity functions at their highest level. This in turn provides a strategic view of an organization’s cybersecurity efforts, in a format that’s easy to understand for both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Each of the framework’s major categories (such as governance, risk management, monitoring, and response planning) fall into one of the core functions:
Identify
Develop the organizational understanding to manage cybersecurity risk to systems, assets, data, and capabilities.
Categories:
Asset management; business environment; governance; risk assessment; risk management strategy; supply chain risk management
Protect
Develop and implement the appropriate safeguards to ensure delivery of critical infrastructure services.
Categories:
Identity management; authentication and access control; awareness and training; data security; info protection and procedures; maintenance; protective technology
Detect
Develop and implement the appropriate activities to identify the occurrence of a cybersecurity event.
Categories:
Anomalies and events; continuous security monitoring; detection process
Respond
Develop and implement the appropriate activities to take action regarding a detected cybersecurity event.
Categories:
Response planning; communications; analysis; mitigation; improvements
Recover
Develop and implement the appropriate activities to take action after responding to a cybersecurity event.
Categories:
Recovery planning; improvements; communications
The framework also includes implementation tiers, which help organizations understand how their current cybersecurity practices align with the NIST CSF. While similar to maturity levels, NIST implementation tiers are not quite as formal. Instead of striving for the highest possible maturity level, organizations should select the NIST tier that is most appropriate for their objectives, resources, and risk profile.
Similarly, NIST CSF profiles allow organizations to map their efforts to the framework’s core functions. Organizations can use profiles to identify opportunities for improvement by comparing their current profile to a desired “target” profile.
Obtaining Proof of NIST Compliance
Unlike other NIST standards, the NIST CSF is not a formal certification or accreditation program. Federal contracts and RFPs often require organizations to “self-certify”, or attest that they are in compliance with the NIST cyber risk management framework. However, third-party validation of an organization’s controls can provide an additional level of assurance.
NIST Cybersecurity Assessments
As an independent, third-party cybersecurity and compliance firm, 360 Advanced can help you navigate the NIST CSF assessment process. With a deep understanding of the NIST cybersecurity framework, our auditors can guide you through a CSF risk assessment or a formal NIST security assessment.
NIST Assessments as Part of an Integrated Compliance Initiative
Our firm takes a 360-degree approach to compliance. That means integrating NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171 assessments with your other privacy, security, and information management initiatives. We can integrate your NIST CSF assessments with ISO certification efforts, FISMA certification efforts, DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement) compliance initiatives, and DOD CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) initiatives. We can also integrate your NIST compliance efforts with healthcare-specific assessments, such as HIPAA and HITRUST, or other general security initiatives, such as SOC 1 or SOC 2 examinations.
Our integrated approach streamlines the process for your entire team, allowing you to reduce duplicative requests and interviews and lowering your overall cost of compliance. Our fixed-fee model lets you focus on your business, while allowing our team to provide unlimited support and guidance along the way.
Get in Touch With Our NIST Cybersecurity Assessors
Whether you’re planning a NIST vulnerability assessment, self-assessment, or cybersecurity audit, 360 Advanced can help you meet your contractual obligations and earn more work in the federal sector.