NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 Hub

NIST CSF 2.0 Overview

Understanding the fundamentals of NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 and why it matters for your organization

What is NIST CSF 2.0?

Released February 2024, NIST CSF 2.0 is a voluntary, risk-based framework for managing cybersecurity risks across all sectors and organization sizes. It provides a common language for understanding and communicating cybersecurity risk.

6 core functions including the new GOVERN function
23 categories covering comprehensive cybersecurity domains
108 subcategories with specific outcome statements

Key Updates in CSF 2.0

NIST CSF 2.0 introduces significant enhancements to address modern cybersecurity challenges including supply chain risks, cloud security, and governance integration.

NEW GOVERN function: Enterprise-level risk management strategy
Enhanced supply chain: Expanded cybersecurity supply chain risk management (C-SCRM)
Cloud & IoT guidance: Updated for modern technology environments

Why NIST CSF Matters

NIST CSF provides a flexible, risk-based approach that helps organizations of all sizes improve their cybersecurity posture, demonstrate due diligence, and communicate effectively with stakeholders.

Industry-agnostic: Applicable to all sectors beyond critical infrastructure
Regulatory alignment: Supports compliance with sector-specific regulations
Framework integration: Maps to ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, and more

CSF 1.1 vs CSF 2.0

Understand the evolution from CSF 1.1 (2018) to CSF 2.0 (2024) and how the new framework improves governance, supply chain, and organizational cybersecurity.

CSF 1.1: 5 functions, 23 categories, 108 subcategories
CSF 2.0: 6 functions (added GOVERN), 23 categories, 108 subcategories
Migration: Organizations can incrementally adopt new structure

4 Implementation Tiers

NIST CSF defines four implementation tiers that characterize an organization's cybersecurity risk management practices and maturity level.

Tier 1 - Partial: Ad hoc, reactive practices
Tier 2 - Risk Informed: Management-aware, not systematic
Tier 3 - Repeatable: Formal, organization-wide policies
Tier 4 - Adaptive: Continuous improvement, predictive

Profile Development

Learn how to create Current and Target Profiles that align NIST CSF outcomes with your business requirements, risk tolerance, and resources.

Current Profile: Document existing cybersecurity posture
Target Profile: Define desired outcomes and priorities
Gap Analysis: Identify and prioritize improvements

Six Core Functions - Comprehensive Breakdown

Deep dive into all 6 NIST CSF 2.0 functions, 23 categories, and 108 subcategories

GOVERN (GV) - NEW in CSF 2.0

Establish and monitor cybersecurity risk management strategy. The GOVERN function establishes organizational context, strategy, expectations, and policies that inform risk-based decisions. This new function elevates governance as a core pillar of cybersecurity.

GV.OC - Organizational Context: Understand mission, stakeholders, and cybersecurity's role
GV.RM - Risk Management Strategy: Establish risk tolerance, priorities, and constraints
GV.RR - Roles, Responsibilities & Authorities: Define cybersecurity roles and accountability
GV.PO - Policy: Establish organizational cybersecurity policies
GV.OV - Oversight: Monitor and review risk management strategy and results
GV.SC - Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management: Manage supply chain cybersecurity risks

IDENTIFY (ID)

Develop organizational understanding of cybersecurity risk. Identify systems, people, assets, data, and capabilities that could be affected by cybersecurity events to enable risk-based decisions.

ID.AM - Asset Management: Identify and manage physical devices, systems, software, data, and services
ID.RA - Risk Assessment: Understand cybersecurity risks to operations, assets, and individuals
ID.IM - Improvement: Enhance cybersecurity risk management through lessons learned and reviews

PROTECT (PR)

Implement appropriate safeguards for critical services. Develop and implement safeguards to ensure delivery of critical infrastructure services and limit the impact of potential cybersecurity events.

PR.AA - Identity Management, Authentication & Access Control: Manage physical and logical access to assets
PR.AT - Awareness and Training: Provide cybersecurity awareness education and training
PR.DS - Data Security: Protect data confidentiality, integrity, and availability
PR.PS - Platform Security: Protect computing platforms (hardware, software, services)
PR.IR - Technology Infrastructure Resilience: Ensure infrastructure resilience against adverse events

DETECT (DE)

Identify cybersecurity events in a timely manner. Develop and implement activities to identify the occurrence of a cybersecurity event quickly and accurately.

DE.CM - Continuous Monitoring: Monitor assets continuously to detect cybersecurity events and anomalies
DE.AE - Adverse Event Analysis: Analyze detected events to understand attack targets and methods

RESPOND (RS)

Take action regarding detected cybersecurity incidents. Develop and implement appropriate activities to respond to detected cybersecurity incidents and minimize adverse effects.

RS.MA - Incident Management: Manage response activities during cybersecurity incidents
RS.AN - Incident Analysis: Investigate and analyze incidents to inform response and recovery
RS.RP - Incident Response Reporting & Communication: Coordinate response activities with stakeholders
RS.MI - Incident Mitigation: Contain and mitigate incident effects

RECOVER (RC)

Restore capabilities and services impaired by incidents. Develop and implement activities to maintain resilience plans and restore capabilities or services impaired during cybersecurity incidents.

RC.RP - Incident Recovery Plan Execution: Execute recovery plans during and after cybersecurity incidents
RC.CO - Incident Recovery Communication: Coordinate recovery activities with internal and external parties

Implementation Tiers

Understanding the four maturity levels and how to progress through them

Tier 1: Partial

Risk management practices are ad hoc and sometimes reactive. Priority is given to immediate operational needs. Limited awareness of cybersecurity risk at the organizational level.

Risk management processes not formalized
Limited cybersecurity awareness
Reactive approach to threats
Irregular information sharing

Tier 2: Risk Informed

Risk management practices are approved by management but may not be established as organizational-wide policy. Awareness of cybersecurity risk at the organizational level, but an organization-wide approach is not yet established.

Management awareness of cybersecurity risk
Risk-informed but not integrated
Informal external participation
Some documented processes exist

Tier 3: Repeatable

Risk management practices are formally approved and expressed as policy. Organizational cybersecurity practices are regularly updated based on application of risk management processes to a changing threat and technology landscape.

Organization-wide risk management policies
Regular updates based on risk assessments
Defined roles and responsibilities
Formal external collaboration

Tier 4: Adaptive

The organization adapts its cybersecurity practices based on lessons learned and predictive indicators derived from previous and current cybersecurity activities. Cybersecurity is part of organizational culture and integrated into business strategy.

Continuous improvement based on advanced analytics
Proactive threat intelligence integration
Real-time risk assessments and responses
Active external ecosystem participation

Implementation Process

Step-by-step guidance for implementing NIST CSF 2.0 in your organization

Step 1: Prioritize and Scope

Identify business/mission objectives and high-level organizational priorities. Determine systems and assets that support selected mission functions and define scope.

Understand business context and objectives
Identify critical assets and systems
Define implementation scope boundaries
Engage key stakeholders

Step 2: Orient - Current Profile

Identify related systems and assets, regulatory requirements, and overall risk approach. Document current cybersecurity posture by creating a Current Profile.

Review existing cybersecurity practices
Map controls to NIST CSF subcategories
Document current implementation tier
Identify regulatory and industry requirements

Step 3: Create Target Profile

Create a Target Profile that focuses on assessment of the CSF Categories and Subcategories describing desired cybersecurity outcomes aligned with organizational requirements.

Define target implementation tier
Select applicable subcategories
Align with risk tolerance and priorities
Consider resources and constraints

Step 4: Conduct Gap Analysis

Compare Current and Target Profiles to determine gaps. Create a prioritized action plan to address gaps, considering mission drivers, costs/benefits, and risk.

Identify gaps between current and target
Assess risk and business impact
Prioritize remediation activities
Estimate costs and resource requirements

Step 5: Implement Action Plan

Execute prioritized action plan to achieve target profile. Implement cybersecurity controls, update policies, conduct training, and establish processes.

Deploy technical and administrative controls
Update policies and procedures
Provide awareness and training
Document implementation evidence

Step 6: Continuous Improvement

Continuously monitor, measure, and improve cybersecurity practices. Regularly assess and update Current Profile, reassess threats, and refine Target Profile as needed.

Monitor control effectiveness
Conduct periodic reassessments
Update profiles based on changes
Report to management and stakeholders

Costs & Implementation Timeline

Understanding investment requirements and realistic timelines for NIST CSF 2.0 implementation

Total Investment: $50K-$200K

NIST CSF implementation costs vary significantly based on organization size, current maturity, and target tier. Budget includes assessment, consulting, tools, and implementation.

Initial assessment: $30K-$80K for gap analysis and profile development
Implementation consulting: $50K-$150K depending on scope
Technology investments: $20K-$100K for security tools and platforms
Internal resources: 20-40% FTE commitment for 6-12 months

Implementation Timeline: 6-12 Months

Realistic timelines for achieving NIST CSF implementation from initial assessment through target profile achievement and continuous monitoring establishment.

Months 1-2: Scope definition and current profile assessment
Months 3-4: Target profile development and gap analysis
Months 5-10: Action plan execution and control implementation
Months 11-12: Validation, documentation, and continuous monitoring setup

Self-Assessment Framework

NIST CSF is a voluntary framework with no formal certification process. Organizations self-assess their implementation and may engage third parties for validation.

No official NIST CSF certification or accreditation
Self-assessment with internal validation
Optional third-party assessments available
No recurring audit fees like SOC 2 or ISO 27001

Return on Investment

Organizations implementing NIST CSF see measurable improvements in risk posture, incident response capabilities, and stakeholder confidence.

40-60% reduction in incident response time
Improved resource allocation and prioritization
Enhanced communication with executives and board
Better alignment with regulatory requirements

Small Organization Approach

NIST CSF is scalable for small businesses. Start with core subcategories most relevant to your risk profile and incrementally expand implementation.

Focus on high-impact, low-cost controls first
Leverage free assessment tools and templates
Target Tier 2 maturity initially (Tier 3 over time)
Estimated small business cost: $25K-$75K

Assessment Tools Available

Multiple free and commercial tools are available to support NIST CSF assessment, profile development, and continuous monitoring.

NIST Cybersecurity Framework Tools Repository
Commercial GRC platforms (ServiceNow, OneTrust, etc.)
Open-source assessment templates and spreadsheets
Automated mapping tools for existing controls

Industry Applications

NIST CSF 2.0 applications across critical infrastructure and industry sectors

Critical Infrastructure

NIST CSF was originally developed for critical infrastructure sectors and remains the de facto standard for energy, utilities, transportation, and communications.

Energy sector (power generation, transmission, distribution)
Water and wastewater systems
Transportation systems (aviation, rail, maritime)
Communications and IT infrastructure

Financial Services

Banks, credit unions, investment firms, and insurance companies use NIST CSF to complement regulatory requirements and demonstrate cybersecurity maturity.

Aligns with FFIEC Cybersecurity Assessment Tool
Supports PCI DSS and GLBA compliance
Integrates with third-party risk management
Enhances incident response capabilities

Healthcare

Healthcare organizations leverage NIST CSF to strengthen HIPAA compliance, protect patient data, and secure medical devices and IoT systems.

Complements HIPAA Security Rule requirements
Medical device and IoT security guidance
Business associate risk management
Health information exchange security

Manufacturing

Manufacturing sector uses NIST CSF to secure operational technology (OT), industrial control systems (ICS), and supply chain operations.

OT/ICS cybersecurity framework alignment
Supply chain risk management guidance
Smart factory and Industry 4.0 security
Intellectual property protection

Government & Defense

Federal, state, and local governments use NIST CSF to establish baseline cybersecurity programs and align with federal mandates and NIST SP 800-53.

Federal agency cybersecurity baseline
State and local government frameworks
Defense contractor compliance support
Alignment with FISMA and FedRAMP

Technology & SaaS

Technology companies and SaaS providers use NIST CSF to demonstrate security maturity, support customer security questionnaires, and complement SOC 2 compliance.

Cloud security posture management
DevSecOps and secure SDLC integration
Customer security questionnaire responses
Complementary to SOC 2 and ISO 27001

Complete 108 Subcategories Reference

Detailed breakdown of all NIST CSF 2.0 subcategories with outcome statements

GOVERN (GV) - 22 Subcategories

GV.OC - Organizational Context (5 subcategories)

GV.OC-01: The organizational mission is understood and informs cybersecurity risk management
GV.OC-02: Internal and external stakeholders are understood and their needs and expectations are taken into account
GV.OC-03: Legal, regulatory, and contractual requirements are understood and managed
GV.OC-04: Critical objectives, capabilities, and services that stakeholders depend on are understood and communicated
GV.OC-05: Outcomes, capabilities, and services that the organization depends on are understood and communicated

GV.RM - Risk Management Strategy (7 subcategories)

GV.RM-01: Risk management objectives are established and agreed to by organizational stakeholders
GV.RM-02: Risk appetite and risk tolerance statements are established, communicated, and maintained
GV.RM-03: Cybersecurity risk management activities and outcomes are included in enterprise risk management processes
GV.RM-04: Strategic direction for cybersecurity risk management is established, communicated, and maintained
GV.RM-05: Lines of communication across the organization are established for cybersecurity risks
GV.RM-06: A standardized method for calculating, documenting, categorizing, and prioritizing cybersecurity risks is established and communicated
GV.RM-07: Strategic opportunities are informed by cybersecurity risk

GV.RR - Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities (1 subcategory)

GV.RR-01: Cybersecurity roles, responsibilities, and authorities are established, communicated, understood, and enforced

GV.PO - Policy (3 subcategories)

GV.PO-01: Policy for managing cybersecurity risks is established based on organizational context, cybersecurity strategy, and priorities and is communicated and enforced
GV.PO-02: Policy for managing cybersecurity risks is reviewed, updated, communicated, and enforced to reflect changes in requirements, threats, technology, and organizational mission
GV.PO-03: Cybersecurity policy is applied to contracts, agreements, and other commitments that involve third parties

GV.OV - Oversight (3 subcategories)

GV.OV-01: Cybersecurity risk management strategy outcomes are reviewed to inform and adjust risk strategy and direction
GV.OV-02: The cybersecurity risk management strategy is reviewed and adjusted to ensure coverage of organizational requirements and risks
GV.OV-03: Organizational cybersecurity risk management performance is evaluated and reviewed for adjustments needed

GV.SC - Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management (3 subcategories)

GV.SC-01: A cybersecurity supply chain risk management program, strategy, objectives, policies, and processes are established and agreed to by organizational stakeholders
GV.SC-02: Cybersecurity roles and responsibilities for suppliers, customers, and partners are established, communicated, and coordinated internally and externally
GV.SC-03: Cybersecurity supply chain risk management is integrated into broader enterprise risk management processes

IDENTIFY (ID) - 16 Subcategories

ID.AM - Asset Management (7 subcategories)

ID.AM-01: Inventories of hardware managed by the organization are maintained
ID.AM-02: Inventories of software, services, and systems managed by the organization are maintained
ID.AM-03: Representations of the organization's authorized network communication and internal and external network data flows are maintained
ID.AM-04: Inventories of services provided by suppliers are maintained
ID.AM-05: Assets are prioritized based on classification, criticality, and business value
ID.AM-07: Inventories of data and corresponding metadata for designated data types are maintained
ID.AM-08: Systems, hardware, software, services, and data are managed throughout their life cycles

ID.RA - Risk Assessment (7 subcategories)

ID.RA-01: Vulnerabilities in assets are identified, validated, and recorded
ID.RA-02: Cyber threat intelligence is received from information sharing forums and sources
ID.RA-03: Internal and external threats to the organization are identified and recorded
ID.RA-04: Potential impacts and likelihoods of threats exploiting vulnerabilities are identified and recorded
ID.RA-05: Threats, vulnerabilities, likelihoods, and impacts are used to understand inherent risk and inform risk response decisions
ID.RA-06: Risk responses are chosen, prioritized, planned, tracked, and communicated
ID.RA-10: Critical suppliers are assessed prior to acquisition

ID.IM - Improvement (2 subcategories)

ID.IM-01: Improvements are identified from evaluations
ID.IM-02: Improvements are identified from security tests and exercises, including those done in coordination with suppliers and relevant third parties

PROTECT (PR) - 33 Subcategories

PR.AA - Identity Management, Authentication & Access Control (6 subcategories)

PR.AA-01: Identities and credentials for authorized users, services, and hardware are managed by the organization
PR.AA-02: Identities are proofed and bound to credentials based on the context of interactions
PR.AA-03: Users, services, and hardware are authenticated
PR.AA-04: Identity assertions are protected, conveyed, and verified
PR.AA-05: Access permissions, entitlements, and authorizations are defined in a policy, managed, enforced, and reviewed, and incorporate the principles of least privilege and separation of duties
PR.AA-06: Physical access to assets is managed, monitored, and enforced commensurate with risk

PR.AT - Awareness and Training (2 subcategories)

PR.AT-01: Personnel are provided with cybersecurity awareness and training so that they can perform their cybersecurity-related duties and responsibilities
PR.AT-02: Individuals in specialized roles are provided with role-appropriate cybersecurity awareness and training

PR.DS - Data Security (8 subcategories)

PR.DS-01: The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data-at-rest are protected
PR.DS-02: The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data-in-transit are protected
PR.DS-10: The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data-in-use are protected
PR.DS-11: Backups of data are created, protected, maintained, and tested
PR.DS-05: Protections against data leaks are implemented
PR.DS-06: Integrity checking mechanisms are used to verify hardware integrity
PR.DS-07: Environments for software development and testing are separate from the production environment
PR.DS-08: Hardware integrity is checked

PR.PS - Platform Security (6 subcategories)

PR.PS-01: Configuration management practices are established and applied
PR.PS-02: Software is maintained, replaced, and removed commensurate with risk
PR.PS-03: Hardware is maintained, replaced, and removed commensurate with risk
PR.PS-04: Log records are generated and made available for continuous monitoring
PR.PS-05: The software development life cycle is managed
PR.PS-06: Secure software development practices are integrated throughout the software development life cycle and maintained

PR.IR - Technology Infrastructure Resilience (11 subcategories)

PR.IR-01: Networks and environments are protected from unauthorized logical access and usage
PR.IR-02: The organization's technology assets are protected from environmental threats
PR.IR-03: Mechanisms are implemented to achieve resilience requirements in normal and adverse situations
PR.IR-04: Adequate resource capacity to ensure availability is maintained
PR.IR-05: Secure software development tools and repositories are used
PR.IR-06: Verification of configuration and software is performed
PR.IR-07: Redundancy and diversity of cybersecurity controls are considered to maintain availability
PR.IR-08: Integrity and authenticity of software are verified before deployment
PR.IR-09: Critical hardware components are maintained
PR.IR-10: Response and recovery are practiced
PR.IR-11: Security controls for backup and restoration are tested

DETECT (DE) - 13 Subcategories

DE.CM - Continuous Monitoring (8 subcategories)

DE.CM-01: Networks and network services are monitored to find potentially adverse events
DE.CM-02: The physical environment is monitored to find potentially adverse events
DE.CM-03: Personnel activity and technology usage are monitored to find potentially adverse events
DE.CM-06: External service provider activities and services are monitored to find potentially adverse events
DE.CM-09: Computing hardware and software, runtime environments, and their data are monitored to find potentially adverse events
DE.CM-04: Malicious code is detected
DE.CM-07: Monitoring for unauthorized personnel, connections, devices, and software is performed
DE.CM-08: Vulnerability scans are performed

DE.AE - Adverse Event Analysis (5 subcategories)

DE.AE-01: The organization produces contextual information about anomalies and events from their physical environment
DE.AE-02: Potentially adverse events are analyzed to better understand associated activities
DE.AE-03: Information is correlated from multiple sources
DE.AE-04: The estimated impact and scope of adverse events are understood
DE.AE-06: Information on adverse events is provided to authorized staff and tools

RESPOND (RS) - 16 Subcategories

RS.MA - Incident Management (2 subcategories)

RS.MA-01: The incident response plan is executed in coordination with relevant third parties once an incident is declared
RS.MA-02: Incident reports are triaged and validated

RS.AN - Incident Analysis (3 subcategories)

RS.AN-03: Analysis is performed to establish what has taken place during an incident and the root cause of the incident
RS.AN-06: Actions performed during an investigation are recorded, and the records' integrity and provenance are preserved
RS.AN-07: Incident data and metadata are collected, and their integrity and provenance are preserved

RS.RP - Incident Response Reporting & Communication (1 subcategory)

RS.RP-01: The criteria for specific incident types are applied for organizational incident reporting and notification processes

RS.MI - Incident Mitigation (10 subcategories)

RS.MI-01: Incidents are contained
RS.MI-02: Incidents are eradicated
RS.MI-03: Newly identified vulnerabilities are mitigated or documented as accepted risks
RS.MI-04: Newly identified vulnerabilities are analyzed for relevance to the organization's attack surface
RS.MI-05: Assets affected by adverse events are evaluated to determine if they require restoration

RECOVER (RC) - 8 Subcategories

RC.RP - Incident Recovery Plan Execution (5 subcategories)

RC.RP-01: The recovery portion of the incident response plan is executed once initiated from the incident response process
RC.RP-02: Recovery actions are selected, scoped, prioritized, and performed
RC.RP-03: The integrity of backups and other restoration assets is verified before using them for recovery
RC.RP-04: Critical mission functions and cybersecurity risk management are considered to establish post-incident operational norms
RC.RP-05: The integrity of restored assets is verified, systems and services are restored, and normal operating status is confirmed

RC.CO - Incident Recovery Communication (3 subcategories)

RC.CO-01: Public relations are managed
RC.CO-02: Reputation is repaired
RC.CO-03: Recovery activities and progress in restoring operational capabilities are communicated to designated internal and external stakeholders

Framework Integration & Mapping

How NIST CSF 2.0 integrates with other cybersecurity frameworks and standards

NIST CSF + ISO 27001

Significant overlap exists between NIST CSF and ISO 27001. Organizations can leverage NIST CSF implementation to accelerate ISO 27001 certification and vice versa.

~70% control overlap between frameworks
NIST CSF provides higher-level strategic view
ISO 27001 offers formal certification
Combined approach reduces total implementation cost

NIST CSF + SOC 2

NIST CSF provides strategic cybersecurity framework while SOC 2 offers attestation for customer trust. Implementing both creates comprehensive security program.

NIST CSF covers broader scope than SOC 2
SOC 2 provides independent third-party validation
~60% control alignment between frameworks
NIST CSF informs SOC 2 system description

NIST CSF + HIPAA

Healthcare organizations use NIST CSF as framework for implementing HIPAA Security Rule requirements and demonstrating compliance maturity.

NIST CSF covers all HIPAA Security Rule safeguards
Provides structured approach to HIPAA compliance
Demonstrates due diligence beyond minimum requirements
Supports risk analysis and management requirements

NIST CSF + PCI DSS

Organizations can map PCI DSS requirements to NIST CSF to create integrated compliance program that addresses payment card security within broader cybersecurity strategy.

PCI DSS requirements map to NIST CSF subcategories
NIST CSF provides governance context for PCI DSS
Integrated approach reduces compliance overhead
NIST CSF extends beyond cardholder data environment

NIST CSF + NIST SP 800-53

NIST CSF provides outcome-based framework while NIST SP 800-53 provides detailed control catalog. Organizations can use CSF for strategic view and 800-53 for implementation.

Official mapping between CSF and SP 800-53 controls
CSF outcomes inform SP 800-53 control selection
Essential for federal agencies and contractors
SP 800-53 provides implementation details for CSF

NIST CSF + CIS Controls

CIS Controls provide tactical implementation guidance for achieving NIST CSF outcomes. Organizations often use CIS Controls as implementation guide for NIST CSF.

CIS Controls provide tactical implementation steps
NIST CSF provides strategic framework structure
CIS publishes official mapping to NIST CSF
Combined approach accelerates implementation

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