Cybersecurity framework is a set of guidelines that will help protect a company and its assets from cyberattacks.
The Cybersecurity Framework is an important first step in identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks to the organization.
Read on to learn some tips that can help you get started.
Getting Started Using the NIST Cybersecurity Framework
A variety of cybersecurity risk management skills are in place at many businesses. So, how can you start yours? Here are some tips.
Start with building Cybersecurity Awareness
Throughout the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, security awareness is a core element. It’s a necessary foundation to help prevent cyberattacks.
It’s also an important first step toward other cybersecurity initiatives. Only after awareness can an organization start to identify, assess, and manage risks.
Awareness should be ongoing and part of everyday life in the company.
Begin at the top management
The top management is the starting point for any awareness program. For example, the CEO should be familiar with the organization’s cybersecurity policies and how they work.
An awareness program requires a plan to help guide its execution and implementation. The plan should have short- and long-term goals, as well as a detailed outline of how to achieve them.
Establish goals for your organization based on your risk assessment findings. For example, your goals might be to:
- Increase security awareness of employees.
- Train management on security risks and policies.
- Set up an incident response plan.
- Enforce security policies through monitoring and testing.
- Create a culture of cybersecurity within the organization.
Identify your controls and tools
If you want to start your cybersecurity program, identify the tools and controls that are in place at your organization. Then, see what else you also can do to improve them.
Organizations need to assess their risk before they can implement a cybersecurity framework. NIST also provides a variety of tools to help with risk assessment. The results will help you to determine the level of security controls that are necessary for your organization.
Start with a data inventory
The data inventory helps you to assess the value of your data assets. It also helps you to identify the controls that protect those assets and what other controls are missing. Here are some steps to take:
Start by identifying the value of each asset. Then, assign assets to one of three categories: high, medium, or low value. Next, group assets by category and assess them for vulnerabilities. Finally, follow up with additional vulnerability testing for critical assets.
Be Agile and Adaptive
Cybersecurity is a dynamic field, so it’s important to be agile and adaptive. New threats are also emerging daily, so your organization needs to change as well. If you’re not able to keep up with the threats, it’s possible that you’ll suffer from a cyberattack.
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework provides a flexible structure for building a successful cybersecurity program. It helps businesses by addressing key challenges such as prioritizing work and proving the value of cybersecurity investments. The framework also emphasizes ongoing training and testing so organizations can stay at the top of their game.
