The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has officially unveiled the Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (CSF 2.0), marking a significant update to its widely utilized cybersecurity guidance. Initially aimed at critical infrastructure organizations, the framework has evolved to offer robust risk reduction strategies applicable across various sectors, sizes, and security sophistication levels.
This latest version was developed in response to extensive feedback on its draft, leading to expanded core guidance and the creation of additional resources designed to maximize the framework's utility. Notably, CSF 2.0 aligns with the National Cybersecurity Strategy and introduces a "Govern" function, enhancing its structure around six key areas: identify, protect, detect, respond, recover, and govern.
Robert Booker, Chief Strategy Officer at HITRUST and a contributor to the CSF 2.0 development, emphasized the importance of this update, stating, “The addition of the Govern function provides a vital and previously missing piece to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, important to critical elements such as risk management.”
The CSF 2.0 not only offers implementation examples and quick-start guides but also features a searchable catalog of references, enabling users to align the framework with over 50 other cybersecurity documents. This adaptability ensures that the framework remains a vital tool for organizations aiming to navigate the evolving cyber threat landscape effectively.
NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio highlighted the framework's broad applicability, saying,
“The CSF has been a vital tool for many organizations, helping them anticipate and deal with cybersecurity threats. CSF 2.0, which builds on previous versions, is not just about one document. It is about a suite of resources that can be customized and used individually or in combination over time as an organization’s cybersecurity needs change and its capabilities evolve.”
The framework's relevance to industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT) was also underscored by Katherine Ledesma, Head of Public Policy & Government Affairs at Dragos. She pointed out the shift towards viewing cybersecurity investment as a means to support business operations, especially in critical infrastructure sectors. “This is important to manufacturing facilities that need to maintain safe, continuous operation, as well as for electric or water utilities that need to provide reliable, essential services to communities,” Ledesma noted.
Ed Debish, Director of Customer Success, Public Sector, at Tanium, praised the introduction of the "Govern" function, stating, “‘Govern’ is one of the most impactful additions to the CSF 2.0. Governance is a critical function that enables and provides focus to the traditional CSF core functions. Strong leadership is a requirement to successfully implement the CSF.”
The framework's arrival is timely, given the identity industry's evolution and the emergence of new security challenges.
Patrick Harding, Chief Architect at Ping Identity, commended the CSF 2.0 for its potential to facilitate robust governance practices. “The new NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 comes at a pivotal time as the identity industry evolves and grows to overcome novel security challenges and threats. This new blueprint has, rightfully so, received positive praise from the private sector and will help boardrooms adopt and implement robust governance practices moving forward,” Harding remarked.
As organizations worldwide face an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 stands as a beacon of guidance, offering a structured approach to managing cyber risks and safeguarding critical assets. Its comprehensive nature and adaptability make it a crucial tool for enhancing cybersecurity posture across all sectors.