The NIST Cybersecurity Framework

Abstract

With the increase in cybercrimes over the last few years, a growing realization for the need for cybersecurity has begun to be recognized by the nation. Unfortunately, being aware that cybersecurity is something you need to worry about and knowing what steps to take are two different things entirely. In the United States, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed the Cyber Security Framework (CSF) to assist critical infrastructures in determining what they need in order to secure their computer systems and networks. While aimed at organizations, much of the guidance provided by the CSF, especially the basic functions it identifies, are also valuable for communities attempting to put together a community cybersecurity program.