A decade has passed since the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) unveiled its Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 1.0. Formulated in response to a mandate in 2013, NIST was charged with formulating an optional cybersecurity framework to aid entities in handling cyber threats, offering advice grounded in recognized standards and best practices. Initially tailored for Critical infrastructure, the updated 1.1 version from 2018 was designed to suit any organization seeking to tackle cybersecurity risk management.
CSF serves as a valuable resource for entities aiming to evaluate and boost their security stance. The framework enables security stakeholders to grasp and evaluate their current security protocols, structure and prioritize measures to tackle risks, and enhance communication within and beyond organizations using a common vocabulary. It constitutes a thorough compendium of directives, best practices, and suggestions, categorized into five primary functions: Identify, Safeguard, Detect, React, and Restore. Each function encompasses numerous segments and subcategories, notably:
- Identify – Recognize which assets necessitate safeguarding.
- Safeguard – Implement measures to ensure assets are adequately protected.
- Detect – Establish mechanisms to identify attacks or vulnerabilities.
- React – Develop detailed schemes to inform affected individuals about data breaches, recent incidents jeopardizing data, and routinely test response strategies to mitigate attack implications.
- Restore – Institute processes to recuperate and resume operations post-attack.
(Interested in discovering more about CSF 1.1’s five phases? Download our NIST CSF checklist here!)
Enhancements in CSF 2.0, Concentrating on Continuous Enhancement
In February 2024, NIST unveiled CSF 2.0. The objective of this new iteration is to enable CCSF to become more adjustable and thus adopted widely across a broader spectrum of entities. Organizations opting for CSF for the first time should consider leveraging this updated version, while those already utilizing it can continue to do so with an outlook toward embracing 2.0 in the future.
2.0 introduces some modifications; notably, it incorporates “Govern” as the initial phase because, as per ISC.2.org, “the governance component of CSF highlights that cybersecurity stands as a significant source of enterprise risk mandating senior leaders to deliberate on it alongside other facets like finance and reputation. The intent is to fuse cybersecurity with broader enterprise risk management, delineating roles and responsibilities, policies, and oversight within organizations, and facilitating improved communication of cybersecurity jeopardy to executives.”
It also broadens its scope, offering greater clarity and user-friendliness, and most importantly (for this piece, at least), it accentuates emerging threats and places emphasis on a continuous and proactive cybersecurity approach through the freshly included Improvement Category in the Identify Function. Adopting a continuous approach encourages organizations to evaluate, reevaluate, and subsequently update cybersecurity practices regularly. This equips organizations to react promptly and with enhanced precision to incidents for diminished repercussions.
CSF and CTEM – Optimal Compatibility
In the present day, there exist various executable frameworks and tools engineered to operate encapsulated within the overarching CSF directives. For instance, the Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) integrates seamlessly with CSF. Unveiled in 2022 by Gartner, the CTEM framework marks a significant shift in how entities manage threat exposure. While CSF furnishes a high-level framework for recognizing, evaluating, and regulating cyber risks, CTEM centers on the continuous scrutiny and evaluation of threats to an organization’s security stance – the very threats constituting risk itself.
The core functions of CSF align smoothly with the CTEM methodology, which encompasses pinpointing and prioritizing threats, evaluating the organization’s susceptibility to those threats, and continually monitoring for signs of compromise. Leveraging CTEM empowers cybersecurity leaders to significantly advance their organization’s NIST CSF adherence.
Prior to CTEM, periodic vulnerability evaluations and penetration testing to detect and rectify vulnerabilities were regarded as the pinnacle for threat exposure management. The drawback resided in the fact that these methods merely offered a snapshot of the security stance – one that often proved antiquated before it was even
durable organizes |iali. The CTEM initiative has arrived to revolutionize the scenario. The scheme lays out strategies to attain persistent insights into the attack surface of the organization, actively recognizing and counteracting weaknesses and exposures prior to cyber attackers taking advantage of them. To bring this vision to life, CTEM initiatives incorporate sophisticated technology such as exposure assessment, security validation, automated security validation, attack surface management, and risk prioritization. This perfectly aligns with NIST CSF 1.1, and delivers concrete advantages across all five primary CSF functions:
- Determine – CTEM necessitates that entities meticulously ascertain and document assets, systems, and data. This frequently brings to light unidentified or disregarded assets that pose security threats. This heightened visibility is pivotal for laying a robust groundwork for cybersecurity administration, as specified in the Determine role within the NIST CSF.
- Shield – CTEM initiatives pre-emptively identify vulnerabilities and misconfigurations before they can be exploited. CTEM gives precedence to risks based on their actual potential impact and the likelihood of exploitation. This aids entities in addressing the most important vulnerabilities initially. Furthermore, the attack path modeling prescribed by CTEM helps entities lessen the likelihood of compromise. These measures significantly influence the Shield function of the CSF program.
- Detect – Continuous monitoring of the external attack surface is mandatory in CTEM, which affects the Detect role of the CSF by offering early indications of potential threats. By detecting alterations in the attack surface, like new vulnerabilities or exposed services, CTEM supports entities in rapidly recognizing and addressing possible threats before they lead to destruction.
- React – In the event of a security incident, the risk prioritization requirements of CTEM are what guide entities in ranking the response, making sure that the most critical incidents are dealt with first. Furthermore, the attack path modeling specified by CTEM helps entities comprehend how cyber attackers could have breached their systems. This influences the CSF Respond function by empowering entities to pursue targeted measures to restrain and eradicate the threat.
- Restore – The continual monitoring and risk prioritization exercised by CTEM play a vital part in the CSF Restore role. CTEM enables entities to swiftly unearth and rectify weaknesses, reducing the impact of security incidents and accelerating the recovery process. Moreover, the attack path modeling aids entities in pinpointing and rectifying flaws in their recovery processes.
The Conclusion
The Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) from NIST and the Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) program truly work hand in hand – collaborating to shield entities from cyber threats. CSF offers an exhaustive road map to handle cybersecurity risks, while CTEM provides a dynamic and data-powered approach to detecting and mitigating threats.
The harmony between CSF and CTEM is especially evident in how CTEM’s emphasis on ongoing monitoring and threat evaluation seamlessly combines with the fundamental functions of CSF. By embracing CTEM, entities significantly boost their adherence to CSF – and additionally acquire crucial insights into their attack surface, proactively tackling vulnerabilities.
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