It’s never been harder to be a chief information security officer (CISO). In 2021, there were 50% more attacks each week compared to 2020. Without a plan, maintaining a robust security posture is an uphill struggle.
Thankfully, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) offers CISOs the guidance they need. Read on to learn more about NIST, why it matters and how it can help your company protect against cybersecurity threats.
What Is NIST?
NIST is a non-regulatory government agency that produces and maintains a set of crucial cybersecurity standards for information systems.
This division within the U.S. Department of Commerce promotes industrial competitiveness and innovation in science and technology. Their guidelines and standards aim to help federal agencies meet the government requirements of the Federal Information Security Management Act.
CISOs can find multiple benefits from adopting best practices from NIST. By embracing the guidelines, you can:
Distribute sensitive data to the correct people in a safe manner
Protect critical infrastructure and information from insider threats, human error and cybersecurity fatigue
Assist IT with handling malware, evolving threat types and attack vectors
Meet other government regulations.
What Are NIST Standards?
NIST standards are a set of recommended best practices that help organizations build, improve and maintain a robust cybersecurity posture.
According to the NIST website, the framework core is “a set of cybersecurity activities, desired outcomes, and applicable informative references common across critical infrastructure sectors.”
