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Comparison of Security Frameworks and Standards
Information Security frameworks have long served organizations as a reliable blueprint for building a formal security management program. Although these frameworks have traditionally been deployed by large companies and assumed to be too expensive for small to medium-sized businesses, there has been a trend over the past 5 years that has changed this model. Specifically ‘Third Party Risk Management’ (TPRM) objectives for larger companies are contractually mandating that business partners of all sizes implement more formal security programs to minimize third-party risk and downstream liability. In addition, insurance underwriters have increased security program requirements for cyber insurance policies. This has led to an increase in the demand for certifications or compliance attestations like SOC 2, NIST, and ISO 27001. These certifications or compliance attestations help to validate that standardized cybersecurity measures have been taken to protect data and safeguard the brand reputation of the organization.
CyberSurance has prepared the matrix below to compare some of the top security standards and frameworks with a focus on practical aspects to consider before embarking on the implementation process for a given framework.
Below is a brief summary of each security standard and framework:
NIST Security Guidelines
NIST Security Standards are based on best practices from several security resources, organizations, and publications. They were designed as a framework for federal agencies and programs requiring security measures. Several non-federal agencies have also implemented these guidelines to showcase that they comply with authoritative security best practices.
NIST Special Publication 800–53 is the most popular among the NIST security series. It provides the steps in the Risk Management Framework for security control selection for federal information systems. This is in accordance with the security requirements in Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 200. The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF) has also attracted a lot of interest and attention from a variety of industries.
NIST has released the final version of Special Publication (SP) 800–219, Automated Secure Configuration Guidance from the macOS Security Compliance Project (mSCP). Security Professionals can leverage the macOS Security Compliance Project (mSCP) to secure and assess macOS desktop and laptop system security in an automated manner.
ISO 27001
ISO 27001 is a more risk-based standard for organizations of all shapes and sizes. Although there are more than a dozen standards in the ISO/IEC 27000 family, ISO/IEC 27001 is well known for defining the requirements for an information security management system (ISMS). ISO 27001 enables and empowers organizations of any kind to manage the security of assets such as financial information, intellectual property, employee data, and information entrusted to third parties. The latest update to ISO 27001 was released in Q4 of 2022.
SOC 2
SOC 2 reports assess the security controls of a Service Organization in accordance with AICPA’s (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) Trust Services Principles: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality and Privacy.
SOC 2 compliance is often included as the eligibility criteria for SaaS and other service providers as they bid for B2B contracts. Type 1 and Type 2 reports meet the needs of a broad range of B2B customers who want assurance about the security of their customer data.
HITRUST
A ‘Health Information Trust Alliance‘ (HITRUST) certification enables vendors and covered entities to demonstrate compliance with HIPAA requirements based on a standardized framework.
HIPAA
The ‘Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’ (HIPAA) of 1996 is a federal law that requires the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge.
The Department of ‘Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) frequently allocates a proposed rule for changes to the act , with the most recent changes pending implementation in early 2025 and a Final Rule is expected in 2025 or 2026 with the following changes:
PCI-DSS
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards governed by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC). This framework has been designed to secure credit and debit card transactions against data theft. PCI-DSS is a requirement for any organization that processes credit or debit card transactions. PCI certification is also considered the best way to safeguard sensitive data and information.
Cloud Security Alliance
The Consensus Assessments Initiative Questionnaire (CAIQ) offers an industry-accepted way to document what security controls exist in IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS services, providing security control transparency. It provides a set of objective questions to a cloud provider to ascertain their compliance with the Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM).
FedRamp
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a government-wide program in the US that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. FedRAMP enables agencies to rapidly adapt old, insecure legacy IT to mission-enabling, secure, and cost-effective cloud-based IT.
How CyberSurance Can Help
CyberSurance provides CISO level consultants with the experience, expertise, and leadership necessary to navigate the complexities of implementing and managing an overall security management program. By leveraging CyberSurance’ consulting and audit expertise, we can help your organization meet the growing demands of information security and evolving compliance requirements with confidence. To learn more please contact us at:
855-5-Cyber-2
855-529-2372
Info@CyberSurance.net
https://CyberSurance.net
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