Differences Between NIST Cybersecurity Framework 1.1 and 2.0

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) is a widely adopted guideline for managing and reducing cybersecurity risk. The transition from NIST CSF 1.1 to 2.0 represents a significant evolution, reflecting advancements in cybersecurity practices, technology, and threat landscapes.

Expand the Scope of Inclusivity

• CSF 1.1: Focused on critical infrastructure and heavily oriented towards energy, financial services, and healthcare sectors.
• CSF 2.0: Broadens the scope to address a broader range of sectors, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and non-traditional industries. It emphasizes the importance of inclusivity in addressing diverse organizational needs and cybersecurity practices.

Greater Emphasis on Privacy

• CSF 1.1: Privacy considerations were present but not extensively covered.
• CSF 2.0: Introduces a more robust integration of privacy protection into the framework. It aligns with international privacy standards and practices, recognizing the increasing importance of protecting personal data alongside cybersecurity measures.

Updates core Functions and Subcategories

• CSF 1.1: Featured the original core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover, with associated categories and subcategories.
• CSF 2.0: Refines and updates these core functions and subcategories to better reflect current cybersecurity practices and emerging threats. The revisions aim to improve the framework’s clarity, relevance, and usability.

Improved Implementation Tiers

• CSF 1.1: Provided a tiered approach to implementation but with less emphasis on how organizations could progress through the tiers.
• CSF 2.0: Offers a more detailed and practical approach to the implementation tiers, providing clearer guidance on how organizations can advance from basic to more advanced levels of cybersecurity maturity.

Conclusion

In summary, NIST CSF 2.0 builds upon the foundation of CSF 1.1 by expanding its scope, enhancing privacy issues, aligning more closely with other standards, and refining its core functions. These updates address the evolving cybersecurity landscape and provide more comprehensive support for organizations in managing their cybersecurity risks.