NIST Cybersecurity Framework
NIST Cybersecurity Framework
Summary
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) is a voluntary, risk-based approach to managing cybersecurity. It organizes security into five core functions that guide your overall strategy. You don’t need to be technical to understand or act on these—think of it as a roadmap for protecting your business.
The Five Functions
| Function | What It Means for Your Business |
|---|---|
| Identify | Know what you have—computers, data, software, and accounts. Understand what’s most valuable and what threats you face. |
| Protect | Put safeguards in place: passwords, MFA, updates, backups, employee training. |
| Detect | Watch for problems early—unusual login attempts, missing backups, new charges on vendor bills. |
| Respond | Have a plan: who calls who, how to isolate affected systems, what to tell customers. |
| Recover | Get back up after an incident: restore from backups, fix vulnerabilities, learn from what happened. |
Key Insights
- Scalable: The framework works for a 2-person office or a Fortune 500 company—same principles, different scale.
- Risk-based: Focus resources on your biggest risks first. Don’t try to solve everything at once.
- Free guidance: All NIST resources are publicly available at no cost.
- Start anywhere: You don’t have to implement all five functions at once. Most businesses start with Protect (MFA + updates) and add others over time.
Take Action Today
- Map your assets: List your computers, phones, cloud services, and accounts. Know what you’d lose sleep over losing.
- Pick 2-3 Protect actions: Enable MFA, turn on auto-updates, train one staff member on phishing recognition.
- Write a basic response plan: One page: who to call, what to do, how to communicate with customers if something goes wrong.
Related Pages
- cisa-cyber-essentials — The four essential practices (maps to the Protect function)
- sba-cybersecurity — Basic awareness to get started
- ftc-cybersecurity-for-small-business — Legal perspective on reasonable security
- password-management — A core Protect action
- cyber-resource-center — Master page with all resources
Sources
- Cybersecurity Basics (NIST Small Business Cyber Initiative)
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0