The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) is a voluntary framework that provides a set of industry standards and best practices to help organizations better manage and protect their cybersecurity risks.
To be NIST CSF compliant, a company needs to meet the following conditions:
Implement the five core functions of the NIST CSF: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. These functions provide a structure for managing cybersecurity risks and ensuring that the organization is prepared to handle potential threats.
Implement the NIST CSF’s 20 “Categorized Security Controls” in a way that is tailored to the organization’s specific needs and risk profile. These controls cover a range of areas, including access control, incident response, risk assessment, and system and communication protection.
Use the NIST CSF’s “Implementation Tiers” to assess the organization’s current level of cybersecurity risk management and determine the appropriate level of controls to implement. The four tiers range from Partial (Tier 1) to Adaptive (Tier 4), with each tier representing an increasingly robust and comprehensive level of risk management.
Use the NIST CSF’s “Informative References” to help guide the implementation of the framework and ensure that the organization is following best practices in the field. These references include guidelines, standards, and techniques that can be used to support the organization’s cybersecurity efforts.
Overall, NIST CSF compliance requires an organization to take a proactive and systematic approach to managing cybersecurity risks, including identifying potential threats, implementing appropriate controls, and continuously monitoring and improving its cybersecurity posture.
How Can Fortem-IT help you become NIST compliant?
Fortem-IT is a UK-based cybersecurity company that helps businesses of all sizes become NIST CSF compliant. The company offers a range of services to assist businesses in achieving NIST compliance, including:
Cybersecurity assessments: Fortem-IT conducts a thorough assessment of a company’s current cybersecurity posture, including reviewing existing policies and procedures, as well as the company’s IT infrastructure and systems. Based on this assessment, Fortem-IT provides a detailed report outlining the areas where the company is already compliant with NIST standards and the areas that need improvement.
Customized implementation plans: Fortem-IT works with businesses to develop a customized plan for achieving NIST compliance. This plan includes implementing the five core functions of the NIST CSF (Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover) and the 20 Categorized Security Controls. Fortem-IT also helps businesses determine the appropriate Implementation Tier for their company based on their risk profile and the level of controls needed.
On-site training and support: Fortem-IT assigns a dedicated team of cybersecurity experts to work with businesses throughout the NIST compliance process. This team provides on-site training and support to help the company’s employees understand the NIST CSF and how to implement it effectively.
Regular updates and reports: Fortem-IT provides regular updates and reports to businesses to track progress and ensure that they are on track to achieve NIST compliance.
By working with Fortem-IT, UK businesses can achieve NIST compliance in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner. The company’s employees will be better educated about cybersecurity best practices and the company’s IT systems will be more secure, ultimately helping to strengthen the company’s cybersecurity posture and protect against potential cyber attacks.
