What is NIST?
NIST, or the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is responsible for creating frameworks and standards that promote information security and risk management. Widely considered the gold standard of cybersecurity across many industries, NIST guidelines help organizations protect sensitive data, manage risks, and meet regulatory requirements.
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF) focuses on improving critical infrastructure security. The addition of NIST governance in Version 2.0 has become widely adopted around the world and inspires many other compliance frameworks and requirements. By meeting NIST, organizations cover many controls in other requirements that overlap with NIST.
NIST Special Publication 800-53 offers security and privacy controls for federal information systems and organizations, while NIST 800-171 addresses the protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). NIST's AI Risk Management Framework offers guidance on mitigating risks in AI systems.
Why NIST compliance is a good idea
NIST frameworks assist in reducing security risks and aligning with legal and regulatory obligations. Each framework supports operational efficiency by making roles, processes, and risk management strategies clear.
NIST compliance offers several business benefits:
- Competitive advantage: Achieving NIST compliance differentiates your company, especially with clients who prioritize strong security measures.
- Organizational improvements: NIST guidelines help organizations document key processes, resulting in clear responsibilities and reducing inefficiencies.
- Legal compliance: Adhering to NIST also helps address many legal and regulatory requirements for information security. Many security controls under NIST overlap with other frameworks and legal requirements. NIST compliance can therefore be used as a building block from which to meet additional requirements in your industry.
- Cost reduction: By reducing the risk of security incidents and noncompliance issues, NIST compliance helps lower the financial impact of breaches and other cybersecurity incidents.
How do we do it?
At Rhymetec, we help your organization achieve NIST compliance by implementing a structured set of security practices and controls. These include:
- Collaborating with you to understand expectations
- Identifying existing risks to sensitive information
- Applying appropriate security controls and risk mitigation measures
- Regularly monitoring the performance of implemented controls
- Continuously improving the security program based on findings and evolving risks in your industry
We create new documented policies and procedures where needed and look for opportunities to leverage your existing processes to meet NIST standards.
Deliverables from Rhymetec
Our team delivers a full range of services to meet NIST compliance, including comprehensive data management plans, the utilization of compliance automation tools, and detailed reports on methodology, findings, and recommendations.
We provide actionable insights specific to your business environment, enabling you to make informed decisions and take appropriate action.
