What is it for? The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) provides a policy framework of computer security guidance for how private sector organizations in the U.S. can assess and improve their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber attacks. The framework is composed of five core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover.
How to apply it to a software security project implementation:
- Identify: Develop an understanding of the software project’s environment to manage cybersecurity risk. This includes identifying critical assets, vulnerabilities, and threats.
- Protect: Implement safeguards to ensure the delivery of critical infrastructure services. This includes access control, data security, and protective technology.
- Detect: Develop and implement activities to identify the occurrence of a cybersecurity event. This includes continuous monitoring and detection processes.
- Respond: Develop and implement activities to take action regarding a detected cybersecurity event. This includes response planning and communication.
- Recover: Develop and implement activities to maintain plans for resilience and to restore any capabilities or services that were impaired due to a cybersecurity event. This includes recovery planning and improvements.

