Security Framework

The first stage in protecting your company is to identify your current information security risk.

This process assists Businesses in developing an organisational understanding of how to manage their current cyber security risk. This covers all facets of risk from systems and people, to assets, data and capabilities.  

This enables the Business Owner to focus and prioritise its' efforts consistent with the needs of their business, in order to gain the best possible outcome.

Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include:

• Identifying physical and software assets within the organization to establish the basis of an Asset Management program.

• Identifying the Business Environment the organization supports including the organization’s role in the supply chain, and the organizations place in the critical infrastructure sector.

• Identifying cybersecurity policies established within the organization to define the Governance program as well as identifying legal and regulatory requirements regarding the cyber security capabilities of the organization.

• Identifying asset vulnerabilities, threats to internal and external organizational resources, and risk response activities as a basis for the organizations Risk Assessment.

• Identifying a Risk Management Strategy for the organization including establishing risk tolerances.

• Identifying a Supply Chain Risk Management strategy including priorities, constraints, risk tolerances, and assumptions used to support risk decisions associated with managing supply chain risks.

The Protect Function outlines appropriate safeguards to ensure delivery of critical infrastructure services.  

The Protect Function supports the ability to limit or contain the impact of a potential cyber security event.

Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include:

• Protections for Identity Management and Access Control within the organization including physical and remote access.

• Empowering staff within the organization through Awareness and Training including role based and privileged user training.

• Establishing Data Security protection consistent with the organization’s risk strategy to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information

• Implementing Information Protection Processes and Procedures to maintain and manage the protections of information systems and assets.

• Protecting organizational resources through Maintenance, including remote maintenance, activities.

• Managing Protective Technology to ensure the security and resilience of systems and assists are consistent with organizational policies, procedures, and agreements.

Threat detection is the number one priority for cyber security teams.

With so many potential threats and adversaries, putting in place appropriate threat detection can seem a daunting task.  

Breaking down threat detection and response to the most basic elements can bring that clarity.

Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include:

• Ensuring Anomalies and Events are detected, and their potential impact is understood.

• Implementing Security Continuous Monitoring capabilities to monitor cybersecurity events and verify the effectiveness of protective measures including network and physical activities.

• Maintaining Detection Processes to provide awareness of anomalous events.

The Respond Function includes appropriate activities designed to take action regarding a detected cyber security incident. The Respond Function also supports the ability to contain the impact of a potential cyber security incident.

Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include:

• Ensuring Response Planning process are executed during and after an incident.

• Managing Communications during and after an event with stakeholders, law enforcement, external stakeholders as appropriate.

• Analysis is conducted to ensure effective response and support recovery activities including forensic analysis, and determining the impact of incidents.

• Mitigation activities are performed to prevent expansion of an event and to resolve the incident.

• The organization implements Improvements by incorporating lessons learned from current and previous detection / response activities.

The Recover Function identifies appropriate activities to maintain plans for resilience and to restore any capabilities or services that were impaired due to a cyber security incident. 

The Recover Function supports timely recovery to normal operations to reduce the impact from a cyber security incident.

Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include:

• Ensuring the organization implements Recovery Planning processes and procedures to restore systems and/or assets affected by cyber security incidents.

• Implementing Improvements based on lessons learned and reviews of existing strategies.

• Internal and external Communications are coordinated during and following the recovery from a cyber security incident.