How Kiteworks Supports NIST CSF 2.0
How Kiteworks Supports NIST CSF 2.0 Compliance
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0, released in February 2024, provides a comprehensive, flexible, and risk-based approach to managing cybersecurity risk. Building upon the widely adopted original framework, CSF 2.0 introduces a new Govern function and expands its applicability beyond critical infrastructure to all organizations. Kiteworks aligns with the CSF 2.0 structure, helping organizations systematically manage cybersecurity risk across all six core functions.
Six Core Functions Overview
CSF 2.0 organizes cybersecurity activities into six core functions that provide a strategic view of the lifecycle of cybersecurity risk management:
Function | Purpose | Kiteworks Alignment |
|---|---|---|
Govern (GV) | Establish and monitor cybersecurity risk management strategy | Policy management, organizational alignment, oversight |
Identify (ID) | Understand organizational cybersecurity risk | Asset inventory, data classification, risk assessment |
Protect (PR) | Implement safeguards to manage risk | Access control, encryption, security training support |
Detect (DE) | Find and analyze cybersecurity events | Monitoring, anomaly detection, event analysis |
Respond (RS) | Take action regarding detected events | Incident response, communications, mitigation |
Recover (RC) | Restore capabilities after incidents | Recovery planning, improvements, communications |
Govern Function (New in 2.0)
The Govern function is the most significant addition in CSF 2.0, establishing cybersecurity as an enterprise risk that leadership must manage. Kiteworks supports governance through:
Organizational Context (GV.OC): Kiteworks helps organizations understand their data landscape by providing visibility into all sensitive data exchange.
Risk Management Strategy (GV.RM): The platform's comprehensive security architecture supports organizational risk management strategies.
Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk (GV.SC): Third-party risk management through secure collaboration controls and vendor access monitoring.
Roles and Responsibilities (GV.RR): Role-based access controls ensure clear delineation of cybersecurity responsibilities.
Policies and Procedures (GV.PO): Automated policy enforcement ensures consistent application of cybersecurity policies.
Oversight (GV.OV): CISO Dashboard provides executive-level visibility into cybersecurity posture and risk metrics.
Identify Function
The Identify function helps organizations understand their cybersecurity risk. Kiteworks contributes through:
Asset Management (ID.AM): Comprehensive inventory of all data assets, communication channels, and connected systems.
Risk Assessment (ID.RA): Continuous risk evaluation through vulnerability scanning, threat intelligence, and security analytics.
Improvement (ID.IM): Identification of improvement opportunities through trend analysis and benchmarking.
Protect Function
The Protect function implements safeguards to manage cybersecurity risk. Kiteworks delivers extensive protection capabilities:
Identity Management and Access Control (PR.AA): Multi-factor authentication, role-based access, least-privilege enforcement, and identity federation.
Awareness and Training (PR.AT): Security policy enforcement that reinforces security awareness through automated controls.
Data Security (PR.DS): AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit, customer-controlled encryption keys, and DRM protection.
Platform Security (PR.PS): Hardened virtual appliance with built-in WAF, firewall, IDS, and network segmentation.
Technology Infrastructure Resilience (PR.IR): High availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity capabilities.
Detect Function
The Detect function enables timely discovery of cybersecurity events. Kiteworks supports detection through:
Continuous Monitoring (DE.CM): Real-time monitoring of all file activities, user behaviors, and system events across the platform.
Adverse Event Analysis (DE.AE): Automated analysis of security events to identify potential threats and anomalies.
SIEM Integration: Feed event data into enterprise SIEM solutions for correlated analysis and detection.
Behavioral Analytics: Identify unusual access patterns that may indicate compromised credentials or insider threats.
Respond Function
The Respond function addresses how organizations react to detected cybersecurity events. Kiteworks enables:
Incident Management (RS.MA): Structured incident response workflows with clear roles and escalation procedures.
Incident Analysis (RS.AN): Comprehensive forensic data for investigating the scope, nature, and root cause of incidents.
Incident Response Reporting (RS.CO): Automated reporting capabilities for internal stakeholders and external regulators.
Incident Mitigation (RS.MI): Containment controls including access revocation, remote wipe, and quarantine capabilities.
Recover Function
The Recover function ensures restoration of capabilities after cybersecurity events. Kiteworks supports recovery through:
Incident Recovery Plan Execution (RC.RP): Documented recovery procedures and automated restoration capabilities.
Incident Recovery Communication (RC.CO): Secure communication channels for coordinating recovery activities.
High Availability: Built-in redundancy and failover capabilities to minimize downtime.
Data Backup and Restore: Comprehensive backup and recovery capabilities for critical data and configurations.
Implementation Tiers (Partial to Adaptive)
CSF 2.0 defines four implementation tiers reflecting increasing sophistication. Kiteworks helps organizations advance through the tiers:
Tier 1 (Partial): Basic risk management practices with ad hoc responses.
Tier 2 (Risk-Informed): Risk management practices approved by management but not organization-wide.
Tier 3 (Repeatable): Organization-wide risk management practices that are regularly updated.
Tier 4 (Adaptive): Organization adapts cybersecurity practices based on lessons learned and predictive indicators.
Framework Profiles
CSF 2.0 uses Framework Profiles to describe current and target cybersecurity postures. Kiteworks supports profile development by:
Documenting current security capabilities across all six functions
Identifying gaps between current and target profiles
Providing implementation evidence for profile assessments
Tracking progress toward target profile achievement
Mapping to Other Frameworks
CSF 2.0 is designed to complement other cybersecurity frameworks. Kiteworks supports cross-framework mapping:
ISO 27001: CSF functions align with ISO 27001 Annex A controls implemented by Kiteworks.
CMMC: CSF categories map directly to CMMC practices supported by the platform.
NIST 800-171: CSF subcategories reference 800-171 requirements addressed by Kiteworks.
HIPAA: CSF provides a pathway to demonstrating HIPAA Security Rule compliance.
By aligning with NIST CSF 2.0, Kiteworks helps organizations establish a comprehensive cybersecurity risk management program that adapts to evolving threats while maintaining compliance with multiple regulatory frameworks simultaneously.