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Why Cybersecurity Frameworks Are Crucial for Businesses

BySagacent
cybersecurity

Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and costly, and businesses of all sizes need to take steps to protect themselves. One of the best ways to do this is to implement a cybersecurity framework.

A cybersecurity framework is a set of guidelines and best practices widely accepted as the best ways to help businesses to identify, assess, mitigate, and manage their cyber risks.

Some Popular Frameworks

cybersecurityMany different cybersecurity frameworks are available, but some of the most popular ones include the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF), the ISO/IEC 27001, and the CIS Critical Security Controls (CIS CSC).

The NIST CSF (https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework ) is a framework developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It is a risk-based framework that helps businesses to identify, assess, and prioritize their cyber risks. The NIST CSF has five functions:

  • Identify: Identify the assets that need to be protected and the threats and vulnerabilities that could impact those assets
  • Protect: Implement controls to protect assets from threats and vulnerabilities
  • Detect: Detect and respond to security incidents
  • Respond: Respond to security incidents in a way that minimizes damage
  • Recover: Recover from security incidents and resume normal operations

The ISO/IEC 27001 (https://www.iso.org/isoiec-27001-information-security.html) is an international standard for information security management. It provides a comprehensive set of requirements for managing information security risks. The ISO/IEC 27001 is a more comprehensive framework than the NIST CSF, but can be more challenging to implement.

The CIS CSC (https://www.cisecurity.org/controls/ ) is a set of 153 controls, designed to protect critical systems and data. The CIS CSC is a good option for businesses looking for a quick and easy way to improve their cybersecurity posture. And it is Sagacent’s favorite cybersecurity framework as well.

Use Frameworks Correctly

No matter which cybersecurity framework a business chooses, implementing it correctly, then continuously monitoring and improving it, is essential. By implementing a cybersecurity framework, companies can reduce their cyber risks and protect their assets from attack.

Here are some of the benefits of using a cybersecurity framework:

  • Helps to identify and prioritize cyber risks
  • Provides guidance on how to implement security controls
  • Improves communication and collaboration between different departments
  • Helps to demonstrate compliance with regulations
  • Reduces the likelihood and impact of cyberattacks

If you are a business owner or IT professional, I urge you to consider implementing a cybersecurity framework. It is one of the best ways to protect your organization from cyberattacks.