Glossary

Cybersecurity Compliance Frameworks

Structured sets of guidelines, standards, and best practices that organizations follow to manage cybersecurity risk, protect data, and meet regulatory requirements.

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What Are Compliance Frameworks?

Cybersecurity compliance frameworks provide structured guidance for building and maintaining a security program. Some are legally mandated (regulatory), while others are voluntary best practices that demonstrate security maturity to customers, partners, and auditors.

Major Compliance Frameworks

Regulatory (Legally Required)

| Framework | Scope | Applies To | |---|---|---| | PCI DSS | Payment card data protection | Any org processing card payments | | HIPAA | Protected health information | Healthcare providers, insurers, business associates | | SOX | Financial data integrity | Publicly traded companies | | GDPR | EU personal data protection | Any org processing EU residents' data | | CCPA/CPRA | California consumer privacy | Businesses serving California consumers |

Voluntary / Industry Standards

| Framework | Focus | Best For | |---|---|---| | SOC 2 | Service organization controls | SaaS companies, service providers | | ISO 27001 | Information security management system | Enterprise security programs | | NIST CSF | Cybersecurity risk management | US government, critical infrastructure | | CIS Controls | Prioritized security actions | Organizations building security programs | | NIST 800-53 | Comprehensive security controls | Federal agencies, government contractors |

Framework Structure (NIST CSF Example)

The NIST Cybersecurity Framework organizes security into five functions:

  1. Identify — Asset management, risk assessment, governance
  2. Protect — Access control, training, data security, maintenance
  3. Detect — Continuous monitoring, detection processes
  4. Respond — Response planning, communications, analysis, mitigation
  5. Recover — Recovery planning, improvements, communications

How Security Tools Map to Compliance

| Requirement | Tools | |---|---| | Access control | IAM, PAM, MFA | | Logging and monitoring | SIEM, log management | | Data protection | DLP, encryption, data classification | | Vulnerability management | VM scanners, patch management | | Endpoint protection | EDR, antivirus | | Network security | NGFW, IPS, network segmentation | | Incident response | SOAR, IR platforms | | Cloud security | CNAPP, CSPM |

Getting Started

Most organizations start with the CIS Controls (prioritized, actionable) or NIST CSF (comprehensive, risk-based) as their foundational framework, then layer on industry-specific requirements (PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2) as needed.

Sources & References

  1. NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0[Government Standard]
  2. NIST Computer Security Resource Center[Government Standard]
  3. MITRE ATT&CK Framework[Industry Framework]
  4. OWASP Foundation[Industry Framework]
  5. CISA Cybersecurity Best Practices[Government Standard]
  6. SANS Institute Reading Room[Industry Research]
  7. Cloud Security Alliance (CSA)[Industry Framework]
  8. CIS Critical Security Controls[Industry Framework]