The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) is a comprehensive set of guidelines developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to help organizations manage and reduce cybersecurity risks. It provides a structured approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating cybersecurity threats, organized into five core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover.
The NIST CSF is organized into five high-level functions, each encompassing specific categories and subcategories:
Identify: Develop an understanding of organizational resources and risks.
Protect: Implement safeguards to ensure the delivery of critical services.
Detect: Enable timely discovery of cybersecurity events.
Respond: Take action when a cybersecurity event is detected.
Recover: Restore capabilities and services after a cybersecurity incident.
The Identify function involves developing an understanding of the organization’s environment to manage cybersecurity risks to assets, systems, data, and capabilities. This function provides the foundation for effective cybersecurity risk management.
Asset Management: Identify and manage organizational assets.
Subcategories: Inventory physical and software assets, maintain asset ownership, and manage lifecycle.
Business Environment: Understand the organization's mission, objectives, and activities.
Subcategories: Align cybersecurity roles with business objectives and identify dependencies.
Governance: Establish policies and procedures to manage risks.
Subcategories: Define roles, responsibilities, and risk management policies.
Risk Assessment: Identify and assess cybersecurity risks.
Subcategories: Conduct regular assessments of risk and threat likelihood and impact.
Risk Management Strategy: Establish strategies for managing risks to assets and services.
Subcategories: Define risk tolerance and prioritize risk management activities.
The Protect function focuses on implementing safeguards to protect critical services, ensuring that business processes continue to operate securely. This includes identity management, data protection, and maintenance of security protocols.
Identity Management and Access Control: Control access to assets based on roles and privileges.
Subcategories: Enforce multi-factor authentication, manage access rights, and monitor access activities.
Awareness and Training: Educate users on cybersecurity best practices.
Subcategories: Implement awareness programs, conduct regular training, and evaluate training effectiveness.
Data Security: Implement measures to protect data from unauthorized access and modification.
Subcategories: Encrypt sensitive data, apply data classification, and implement data loss prevention (DLP) controls.
Information Protection Processes and Procedures: Establish policies and procedures for securing assets.
Subcategories: Document policies, review them regularly, and ensure alignment with business objectives.
Maintenance: Ensure the integrity of hardware and software systems.
Subcategories: Perform regular updates, patch vulnerabilities, and audit system configurations.
The Detect function includes activities that ensure timely discovery of cybersecurity events. Effective detection enables organizations to identify potential threats early and minimize their impact.
Anomalies and Events: Detect abnormal activity and identify cybersecurity events.
Subcategories: Establish baselines, identify deviations, and investigate anomalies.
Security Continuous Monitoring: Monitor information systems to detect cybersecurity events.
Subcategories: Use SIEM solutions, monitor network traffic, and detect unauthorized access attempts.
Detection Processes: Define and implement procedures to detect cybersecurity incidents.
Subcategories: Develop incident detection protocols, review them periodically, and ensure personnel training.
The Respond function includes processes for managing and responding to detected cybersecurity events, including containment, eradication, and recovery. A timely response helps limit the impact of incidents on business operations.
Response Planning: Define response processes and communication channels.
Subcategories: Develop incident response plans, assign roles, and communicate response strategies.
Communications: Coordinate internal and external communications during incidents.
Subcategories: Establish communication protocols and ensure stakeholder involvement.
Analysis: Analyze incident data to understand and resolve incidents.
Subcategories: Investigate incidents, document findings, and apply lessons learned.
Mitigation: Take action to contain and mitigate the effects of cybersecurity events.
Subcategories: Implement containment measures and review their effectiveness.
Improvements: Incorporate lessons learned into incident response processes.
Subcategories: Update response plans based on post-incident analysis and feedback.
The Recover function focuses on activities for restoring capabilities and services after a cybersecurity incident. Recovery plans help ensure that operations return to normal with minimal impact on the organization.
Recovery Planning: Develop and implement recovery plans to restore services after an incident.
Subcategories: Document recovery plans, review them regularly, and integrate them with business continuity plans.
Improvements: Apply lessons learned to enhance recovery strategies and processes.
Subcategories: Conduct post-incident analysis and incorporate feedback into recovery plans.
Communications: Coordinate communications to internal and external stakeholders during recovery.
Subcategories: Establish communication channels to keep stakeholders informed during recovery efforts.