The Critical Security Controls (CIS) controls are not just a list of standardized practices, but it is considered the backbone of a cybersecurity ecosystem. CIS controls provide your organization with a trustworthy framework that can be the starting point for companies to kick off their great cybersecurity plans.
Read this article if you want to find out all about the CIS framework. We will answer the following questions in the next parts of this article:
- What is the CIS framework?
- How can organizations implement the CIS control V8?
- What benefits does the CIS framework provide to your organization?
- What are the challenges to deploying the CIS control V8?
- How will the CIS framework help my organization eliminate cybersecurity threats?
A Brief Explanation
CIS Critical Security Controls aim to help small, medium, and large organizations defend their IT infrastructure and data against cyber threats and create a better level of cyber defense. Note that this framework consists of different divisions, and there is a need to take steps one by one, ensuring all controls are implemented in your organization.
- Based on the main concepts integrated into this cybersecurity framework, these compliance programs are beneficial to businesses and companies of all sizes, and you can take advantage of this framework to help your business grow and develop.
Importance of Implementing CIS Controls in Small and Large Organizations
Remember that CIS controls are very important to those companies that want to have a high level of cybersecurity and protect their IT infrastructure against cyberattacks. Leading organizations, such as NIST, recommend using CIS protocols and standards to be implemented in small and large organizations.
The CIS regulation gives a list of instructions and practices to secure different parts of your organization in some steps. These standards emphasize that the protection of your software tools, ports, protocols, and services is important, and securing software and hardware tools is the first step to achieving the desired level of cybersecurity in your organization.
The Top 18 Controls Provided in the CIS List
The CIS list includes several controls developed by leading security experts. Here are the top 18 critical security controls that are considered priority security controls in the cybersecurity industry:
- Inventory and Control of Enterprise Assets
- Inventory and Control of Software Assets
- Data Protection
- Secure Configuration of Enterprise Assets and Software
- Account Management
- Access Control Management
- Continuous Vulnerability Management
- Audit Log Management
- Email and Web Browser Protections
- Malware Defenses
- Data Recovery
- Network Infrastructure Management
- Network Monitoring and Defense
- Security Awareness and Skills Training
- Service Provider Management
- Application Software Security
- Incident Response Management
- Penetration testing
The CIS control list combines and emphasizes on activities, and it takes practical steps to provide a high level of cybersecurity for both hardware and software tools. Please note that the CIS framework is a set of the best practices for cyber defense, and they were created by professional experts to help organizations quickly and reliably improve their cyber security.
Benefits of Implementing CIS Controls
The CIS Critical Security Controls, formerly known as the SANS Top 18, are a set of trustworthy security measures for defending against common cyberattacks. They provide your organization with practical guidance to reduce your attack surface and mitigate cyber risks, such as data breaches or severe server downtimes.
Here you can read more about the best benefits of implementing the CIS control list in your organization:
1. Improved Security
By implementing CIS controls completely, your company can significantly reduce its attack surface area and monitor all suspicious activities. This will allow your cybersecurity team to promptly detect and respond to changes or activities that cause systems to stop working.
2. Standardization and Consistency
If you want to deploy world-class cybersecurity standards in your organization, CIS offers a great opportunity. It gives you all the instructions to deploy a reliable architecture and process that are easy to follow, no matter if you are a small or large organization.
3. Trustworthy Compliance
Another benefit of implementing the CIS framework in your organization is that you can achieve and maintain continuous compliance. The controls put cybersecurity best tools and technologies into practice, and it helps other compliance rules in most cases.
Business Benefits of CIS Controls for SaaS Platforms
There is a wide range of business benefits for small and large companies if they can implement the CIS control list in their organization. However, SaaS platforms that provide software services can significantly benefit from this framework by improving their productivity and saving time and money.
The business benefits of CIS controls for SaaS platforms are more than you think, as these standards offer data protection and safety in several stages for SaaS platforms. Control and protection of software assets are one of the most critical parts of the CIS list, which aim to actively manage and maintain projects and services under the framework.
Challenges of Deploying CIS Controls in Your Organization
While there are some challenges regarding implementing CIS standards, it’s become a vital requirement for many organizations. It’s because the CIS framework promises to create proper cybersecurity structure and safety measures in small and large organizations and prevent a large number of data security and protection issues in the industry.
One big challenge related to deploying CIS standards in a company is the increasing number of cyberattacks and new techniques hackers use to penetrate IT systems. These new techniques can pose new challenges, especially when you work with an inexperienced cybersecurity team.
- A professional and up-to-date cybersecurity team is equipped with the latest technologies and practices, and they know and understand which tools and security plans work best for your specific industry.
Common Challenges While Implementing the CIS Control List
Well, cybersecurity is always a challenging field, and it’s also true when it comes to implementing a security framework in an organization. There are a large number of factors involved if you want to achieve a high level of data security and protection after implementing such a framework in your organization.
One notable challenge is the limited budget many organizations specify for their cybersecurity when there are more expenses than the budget. Implementing CIS standards and requirements in a medium or large organization necessitates developing a detailed plan which your security team will make it real in several parts. It provides you with a reliable security posture, but implementing CIS controls without any issues needs spending.
- A remarkable challenge all industries face today is that there is a lack of professional cybersecurity experts to work on their projects. CIS controls require your organization to work with a certified security service provider that ensures all the requirements will be implemented in your company.
Helpful Strategies to Overcome These Challenges
Creating the desired level of cybersecurity in an organization isn’t an easy procedure, and it requires a reliable strategy. Working with an experienced third-party team or hiring professional in-house team members are practical solutions to overcome almost all the challenges you may face during this process.
- It depends on your budget and future objectives to choose from these 2 options. Note that if you want to benefit from managed cybersecurity plans and access expert team members in less time, virtual CISO services are the best option for organizations of all sizes.
What About SaaS Platforms? How They Can Benefit from CIS Controls
Software-as-a-Service is an on-demand and cloud-based software delivery model that enables organizations to access a wide range of online services coupled with exceptional features. While SaaS platforms are the most popular online services nowadays, they need to take care of their cybersecurity and take the necessary steps to safeguard themselves against deadly cyberattacks.
The CIS control list is a defined list of security measures and practices that all SaaS platforms can benefit from to protect their services and users’ data against the above-mentioned threats.
- The CIS control framework aims to protect the data and software in organizations, and you can see this framework as a comprehensive utility that reduces the risks of cyberattacks.
How Nordic Defender Will Help You Eliminate These Challenges
Working with a certified cybersecurity team proves you can achieve the desired cybersecurity level and protect all your software and hardware tools and devices.
Nordic Defender offers small and large organizations a comprehensive list of services under the MSSP approach. If you want to implement the required security measures and benefit from a specific type of cybersecurity framework in your organization, we can help you achieve your goals.
- Let us reform your IT security and help your business grow and develop at an immense speed. You can use the contact form to reach one of our cybersecurity experts now!
Final Words
The CIS controls are utilized by thousands of organizations worldwide, large and small, and these standards are supported by numerous vendors and consultants. Some of the users of the CIS framework are those companies that work in the financial industry, while others are manufacturing companies or IT service providers. Overall, CIS defines a comprehensive list of cybersecurity controls to improve the security posture in small and large businesses around the globe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are CIS (Center for Internet Security) Controls?
- The CIS Critical Security Controls are a classified set of actions and practices for cybersecurity that are specific and actionable developed to mitigate the most common cyberattacks. It has aimed to transfer the key security concepts into actionable controls which will help your organization achieve better overall cyber defense.
What is the difference between CIS and NIST?
- NIST focuses on a broader vision, and its scope is more extended than CIS. NIST and CIS are two trustworthy cybersecurity standards used in small and large organizations. However, you need to consult with a professional cybersecurity provider to understand which one is the best fit for your organization before taking any steps.
Is the CIS control list considered a framework?
- The Center for Internet Security (CIS) defines a set of standards and practices under the CIS controls, and it is considered a framework that can level up your cybersecurity posture and offer a greater level of cyber defense.
What are the main benefits of the CIS system?
- CIS standards provide your organization with a complete range of features, including but not limited to the following:
- Minimizing the risk of data breaches
- Improving the level of data security and privacy
- Finding the weaknesses in terms of regulatory and compliance issues
How can I implement CIS controls in my organization?
- These controls are deployed and implemented through 3 main steps, each of which includes a defined list of controls. These 3 steps are the basic implementation, foundational implementation, and organizational implementation procedures that can be performed by a professional cybersecurity team.