The NIST CSF (URL: https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework) was developed to provide “a common language to address and manage cybersecurity risk in a cost-effective way based on business needs without placing additional regulatory requirements on businesses.” Do businesses and government agencies need to utilize such a framework to maintain a proper cybersecurity posture? Can an organization mitigate cybersecurity risks without incorporating such a framework? Cite resources and references that back up your assertions.
While organizations outside of federal ones don’t need to comply with the NIST CSF, it is still an effective framework for having a solid cybersecurity foundation. As technologies vary with organization and risks, the NIST CSF mitigates the issue by having general standards overlapping several industries and business levels. Frameworks like the NIST CSF provide plans to improve an organization’s cybersecurity foundation and make them more aware of vulnerabilities, cyber-attacks, and how to reduce cyber-related challenges.
However, organizations can mitigate risks without the framework, but it will provide more challenges. It forces the organization to make its cybersecurity structure and adds extra costs to maintain it in the form of up-to-date technology and experienced staff. This leads to a difficult foundation to build in an organization, unlike a structured cybersecurity framework that provides a broad but very beneficial foundation for different kinds of organizations.
https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/CSWP/NIST.CSWP.29.pdf
https://www.datalinknetworks.net/dln_blog/why-does-my-business-need-to-be-nist-compliant