Cybersecurity is one of the most important aspects of running a business in the modern age. With data breaches becoming more and more common, it’s essential to have a plan in place to protect your company’s information. There are several different cybersecurity frameworks available to businesses, each with its strengths and weaknesses. In this blog post, we will explore the top 10 frameworks and how they can help you keep your business safe from cyber-attacks.
What is a Cybersecurity Framework Exactly?
A cybersecurity framework is a set of guidelines and best practices for organizations to follow to protect themselves from cyber-attacks. The framework provides a common language and set of standards that can be used by businesses, government agencies, and other organizations to assess their cybersecurity posture and identify areas in need of improvement.
There are many different cybersecurity frameworks available, but some of the most popular ones include the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Control Framework, and the ISO 27001 standard. While each framework has its unique features, they all share a common goal: to help organizations reduce their cyber risks.
CISCO
Cisco is one of the most trusted and well-known cybersecurity frameworks available today. It offers a comprehensive, customizable approach to security that can be tailored to the specific needs of any organization. Cisco’s framework includes best practices for all aspects of security, from perimeter defence and intrusion detection to incident response and recovery.
SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network, and Security)
SANS is a comprehensive cybersecurity framework that helps organizations to protect their systems and data from cyberattacks. It includes four main components: sysadmin, audit, network, and security.
Sysadmin
The sysadmin component of SANS provides best practices for system administrators to follow to secure their systems. This includes hardening systems against attacks, creating backups and disaster recovery plans, and monitoring system activity for signs of intrusion.
Audit
The audit component of SANS helps organizations to assess their current security posture and identify gaps that could be exploited by attackers. This includes conducting regular security audits, testing systems for vulnerabilities, and developing incident response plans.
Network
The network component of SANS helps organizations secure their networks against attack. This includes segmenting networks, implementing firewalls and intrusion detection/prevention systems, and encrypting data in transit.
Security
The security component of SANS helps organizations to protect their data from theft or loss. This includes implementing strong authentication controls, encrypting sensitive data at rest, and ensuring that only authorized users have access to sensitive data.
NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology)
NIST is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce with a mission to promote innovation and industrial competitiveness. NIST’s cyber security programs aim to protect the nation’s critical information infrastructure and reduce vulnerabilities in computer systems.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, which provides voluntary guidance for organizations to assess and improve their cybersecurity posture. The Framework consists of five core functions—Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover—and supporting references that are designed to be flexible enough to address different organizational risk profiles.
The Framework is intended to help organizations better manage cybersecurity risks by providing a common language to address cybersecurity issues and identifying key areas where the action is needed. The NIST Cybersecurity Framework can be used by any organization, regardless of size or sector.
ISO
There are various cybersecurity frameworks available to businesses, but the most popular and effective one is the ISO 27001 framework. The ISO 27001 framework is a set of international standards that provides a comprehensive approach to managing any organization’s information security risks. It includes best practices for risk management, asset management, access control, and more.
The biggest benefit of using the ISO 27001 framework is that it helps organizations to systematically identify, assess, and manage their cybersecurity risks. By following the ISO 27001 framework, businesses can ensure that they have strong controls in place to protect their assets and data from cyber-attacks. In addition, the ISO 27001 framework can be used to benchmark an organization’s cybersecurity program against other organizations.
While the ISO 27001 framework is not required by law, many businesses choose to adopt it because it offers a comprehensive approach to managing cybersecurity risks. Additionally, many insurers offer discounts on insurance premiums for businesses that implement the ISO 27001 framework.
MFA (Multi-factor authentication)
multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an authentication method in which a user is granted access only after successfully presenting two or more pieces of evidence (or “factors”) to an authentication mechanism.
The most common form of MFA combines something the user knows ( typically a password or PIN), with something the user has (such as a security token or key fob), and/or something the user is (biometrics).
MFA can help protect against many types of attacks, including password brute force, phishing, and man-in-the-middle attacks. By requiring more than one factor for authentication, MFA makes it significantly more difficult for attackers to gain access to systems and data.
While MFA is not fool Proof, it is a strong deterrent to many forms of attack and can be an important part of a comprehensive security strategy.
ISO 27001 and ISO 27002.
The ISO/IEC 27000-series (also known as the ‘ISMS Family of Standards’ or ‘ISO27k’ for short) is a set of standards providing guidelines for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS).
The series includes ISO/IEC 27001, the best-known standard in the family which specifies the requirements for an ISMS, and ISO/IEC 27002, the code of practice for information security controls.
Organizations that implement an ISMS based on ISO/IEC 27001 can be certified by an external certification body to show that they have implemented the standard correctly and are following best practices for information security. Many companies choose to implement ISO27k because it provides a comprehensive framework for managing information security risks. It helps ensure that organizations consider all aspects of security, from technical safeguards to employee training.
ISO/IEC 27002 is a code of practice – a set of guidelines – rather than a specification or standard. This means that organizations are free to decide how they will implement the controls in the code. However, many certification bodies offering ISO/IEC 27001 certification require evidence that an organization has implemented at least some of the controls in ISO/IEC 27002 as part of their assessment.
Two-step verification
Two-step verification, also known as two-factor authentication, is an additional layer of security that can be added to your online accounts. When two-step verification is enabled, you will be required to enter both your password and a code that is generated by an app on your smartphone or sent to you via text message to log in.
While it may seem like an inconvenience to have to take an extra step every time you want to log in, it is much more difficult for hackers to gain access to your account if they require both your password and the code. This is because even if they can obtain your password through phishing or other means, they would also need physical access to your device to log in.
There are several different ways that you can set up two-step verification, so be sure to research the options and choose the one that best fits your needs. Many popular services such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter offer two-step verification, so there is no excuse to enable it on all of your accounts.
VPN
A VPN, or virtual private network, is a critical component of any business’s cybersecurity framework. A VPN creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between an organization’s network and the user’s device. This tunnel helps to keep data safe from prying eyes and prevents malicious actors from gaining access to sensitive information.
A good VPN will offer robust security features, including military-grade encryption, to ensure that data is kept safe. It is important to choose a VPN provider that has a good reputation and can be trusted to keep your data safe. There are many free and paid VPN providers available, so it is important to do your research to find the one that best meets your needs.
Antivirus Software
Antivirus software is another important element of a business’s cybersecurity framework. This software helps to protect your devices from malware and other threats by identifying and blocking malicious files before they can cause harm. It is important to keep your antivirus software up-to-date to ensure that it can protect against the latest threats.
There are numerous antivirus programs, both free and paid, available. It is important to choose an antivirus program that is compatible with your devices and offers the features that you need. Some antivirus programs come with additional features such as firewall protection and web filtering, which can further improve your cybersecurity posture.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that sets standards for protecting sensitive patient health information. HIPAA applies to “covered entities” which include health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and healthcare providers who electronically transmit health information. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces HIPAA rules.
Under HIPAA, covered entities must take measures to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronically protected health information (e-PHI). They must also ensure that any third-party they work with, such as business associates, also safeguard e-PHI. Covered entities must have in place physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect e-PHI from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.
Conclusion. We hope you enjoyed our blog post on the top 10 cybersecurity frameworks that help in cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is essential to a business, and the more prepared you are, the better chance you have of protecting your company’s assets. These frameworks can help you define your company’s cybersecurity goals and lay out a strategy to reach them. Check them out to see which one will work best for your needs in cyber security!