Organizations handling sensitive data can gain significant cybersecurity protections from both the NIST CSF and the HITRUST CSF. Additionally, these frameworks are tailored to manage diverse cybersecurity risks effectively. Keep reading for deeper insights into these frameworks and a breakdown of critical infrastructure cybersecurity: NIST CSF vs. HITRUST CSF.
What is the NIST CSF?
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is responsible for developing standards that support technological innovation and enable cybersecurity implementation. In the United States, a substantial part of the economy and essential systems, such as healthcare and public safety, rely on the continuous operation and accessibility of these systems. Failure to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure could directly affect the well-being of American citizens. Thus, NIST developed the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity (CSF) to streamline cybersecurity risk management across industries while avoiding the imposition of additional regulatory compliance requirements.
More importantly, the NIST CSF can be tailored to the unique security requirements of each organization.*In addition, by understanding how the framework’s controls address various threats and vulnerabilities, organizations are therefore well-positioned to achieve robust long-term risk management. Specifically, the NIST CSF comprises three main components that inform cybersecurity risk management; these components are detailed below.
Framework Core
The core of the NIST CSF framework outlines standards that define specific practices and activities aimed at implementing effective risk management controls. Central to its structure are five key functions for cybersecurity risk management. Rather than strict requirements, these functions serve as guidelines to enhance and optimize infrastructure cybersecurity practices.
The five core functions include:
- Identify – An organization should establish procedures to identify risk factors that affect critical assets and infrastructure. These processes may include:
- Managing assets and business environments
- Promoting effective governance
- Conducting risk assessments
- Protect – Protecting critical infrastructure will help maximize service uptime and reduce the impacts of potential cybersecurity risks. Activities may include:
- Managing identity and access controls
- Implementing data security
- Increasing employee security awareness training
- Detect – Prompt detection of cybersecurity incidents will help mitigate them from spreading to other areas of your infrastructure and impacting critical assets. Detection may include:
- Continuous security monitoring
- Optimized threat detection
- Respond – In the event of a cybersecurity incident, it is crucial to initiate a timely response to mitigate potential threats to business operations and data security. A robust cybersecurity response may include:
- Planning response protocols
- Communicating with stakeholders
- Mitigating potential threats
- Recover – After a cybersecurity incident, it’s important to identify damage to assets and promptly restore any critical services that were affected by the incident. Activities necessary to restore the system to its original state include:
- Planning recovery processes
- Communicating about recovery efforts with stakeholders
By adopting these infrastructure cybersecurity functions as recommended by the NIST CSF, your organization will adeptly manage security risks.
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Framework Implementation Tiers
The framework implementation tiers delineate different levels at which organizations can align their cybersecurity risk management practices with the core standards of the framework. These tiers structure themselves based on the anticipated level of risk management within an organization. Moreover, higher tiers indicate greater potential impacts on cybersecurity and overall business continuity.
The NIST Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity is comprised of four tiers:
- Tier 1 – The lowest tier involves limited risk management and applies to organizations that may have uncertainties about the types of risks they are exposed to. Tier 1 organizations will most likely:
- Implement informal, ad hoc risk management processes
- Have limited awareness of formal risk management
- Be unaware of the types of external security risks and risk management opportunities
- Tier 2 – Organizations are more informed about risk management and will often:
- Implement more defined risk management processes
- Share information about risk management informally
- Start to partner with external entities on risk management
- Tier 3 – Once controls have been implemented at tiers 1 and 2, tier 3 applies to organizations that are implementing repeatable processes such as:
- Formally approved risk management processes
- Robust management of cybersecurity risks
- Increased external engagement regarding cybersecurity risk management
- Tier 4 – Organizations are well-positioned to handle security risks based on:
- Continuous improvements to the risk management program
- Integrated management of risks from different functions
- Well-defined partnerships with vendors
The tier-based system allows organizations to effectively manage cybersecurity risks at each level without jeopardizing business continuity.
Framework Profile
The NIST CSF framework profile addresses the intended outcomes for specific risk management and implementation scenarios. In light of these outcomes, your organization can develop a roadmap that will help you:
- Comply with the requirements of regulatory frameworks
- Develop industry best practices
- Adjust and realign risk management priorities with broader mission-specific objectives
The NIST CSF framework profile assists in identifying necessary processes to mitigate risks and address gaps in security controls. Consequently, as a result of optimizing these CSF-recommended controls, you can improve your ability to mitigate various infrastructure cybersecurity risks.
What is the HITRUST CSF?
The HITRUST CSF is a comprehensive, risk-based security framework originally developed to assist healthcare and related organizations in managing cybersecurity risks. Specifically, managed by the HITRUST Alliance, it enables organizations to effectively address their specific security challenges. Moreover, this framework is applicable across various industries, thereby offering a versatile solution for a wide range of security needs.
When enhancing infrastructure cybersecurity, the HITRUST CSF stands out as one of the most robust security frameworks globally. Its integrated approach to cybersecurity risk management supports organizations across diverse industries and risk profiles, hence ensuring high standards of data privacy and security.
The HITRUST CSF integrates its controls with those of other security frameworks, including:
- PCI DSS, which secures the sensitivity of cardholder data (CHD)
- HIPAA, which safeguards the privacy of protected health information (PHI)
- GDPR, which protects the privacy rights of European Union citizens
Combined, all these controls streamline the effectiveness of regulatory compliance and enable HITRUST-certified organizations to prevent threats from impacting critical infrastructure.
HITRUST Control Categories
In its current version, v9.6.0, the HITRUST CSF’s controls are listed under 14 categories:
- Control Category 0.0 – Information security management
- Control Category 1.0 – Access control management
- Control Category 2.0 – Human resource security management
- Control Category 3.0 – Risk management
- Control Category 4.0 – Security policy management
- Control Category 5.0 – Information security organization
- Control Category 6.0 – Compliance management
- Control Category 7.0 – Asset management
- Control Category 8.0 – Physical and environmental security management
- Control Category 9.0 – Communications and security operations management
- Control Category 10.0 – Information systems management
- Control Category 11.0 – Security incident management
- Control Category 12.0 – Business continuity management
- Control Category 13.0 – Privacy practices management
Each privacy and security control listed within these categories assists in managing the diverse risks organizations face when handling sensitive data and maintaining critical infrastructure. However, the implementation of these controls may vary depending on each organization’s unique risk profile, infrastructure cybersecurity, and business requirements.
HITRUST CSF Maturity Levels
When implementing the HITRUST controls, you will need to evaluate the compliance and effectiveness of these controls in meeting your infrastructure and cybersecurity needs. Furthermore, you can evaluate HITRUST control maturity at five levels, based on the NIST Program Review of Information Security Management Assistance (PRISMA) maturity model.
These levels include:
- Level 1 Policy: Evaluates the establishment and documentation of policies and standards to support HITRUST CSF control implementation. Criteria at this level include:
- Dissemination of current standards to all staff
- Establishment of ongoing risk monitoring and assessment procedures
- Operational oversight of systems, assets, and personnel
- Policy approval by stakeholders across the organization
- Level 2 Procedure: Evaluates whether the procedures implemented in compliance with HITRUST CSF align with the organization’s policies. Criteria at Level 2 include:
- Implementation of formalized, up-to-date procedures
- Descriptions of how, when, and where procedures are performed
- Definitions of roles and responsibilities required for all stakeholders involved in implementing controls
- Designation of personnel responsible for security oversight
- Tracking of all implemented procedures
- Communication of procedures to all relevant stakeholders
- Level 3 Implemented: Focuses on the specific implementation of controls and whether they are within the scope of HITRUST assessments. Criteria at this level include:
- Consistent application of controls across assets
- Minimization of non-standard security implementation
- Operation of controls as described in the security policy
- Level 4 Measured: – Evaluates whether controls remain effective as they are implemented over long-term periods. Level 4 criteria include:
- Assessment of control adequacy and effectiveness
- Achievement of data privacy controls by policies and procedures
- Application of threat intelligence in mitigating security risks
- Continuous monitoring of risks related to past threats
- Assessment schedules are determined by type and frequency of testing
- Independent auditing of implemented controls
- Level 5 Managed: –Evaluates overall risk management via the following criteria:
- Prompt initiation of corrective actions to address compliance gaps
- Improvement of policies, procedures, and assessments
- Cost-effective management of enterprise security programs
- Monitoring and mitigation of security threats and vulnerabilities
- Identification and implementation of alternatives to security controls
The maturity levels applicable to your organization will also hinge on the HITRUST assessments that align with your infrastructure cybersecurity requirements. Accordingly, it helps to know which controls work best in some risk environments over other, given the extensive controls recommended by the HITRUST CSF. Therefore, it all comes down to understanding the full scope of the CSF’s controls and levels, which is achieved with the guidance of a HITRUST CSF partner. Ultimately, this understanding enables more effective risk management and control implementation.
NIST CSF vs. HITRUST CSF – Which is Better?
Depending on the types of risks your organization faces, you might be wondering which of the two frameworks—NIST CSF or HITRUST CSF—to lean on when addressing your infrastructure and cybersecurity needs. Both frameworks provide robust infrastructure cybersecurity controls that can be adopted by any organization across risk environments. However, security risks evolve as different factors (e.g., technology, environments, privacy requirements) change.
When organizations generalize security controls, as seen in the NIST CSF, they can struggle to address specific risks. In such instances, your organization will likely require a framework like HITRUST, which takes the most comprehensive, risk-based approach to cybersecurity.
For instance, the HITRUST CSF integrates elements of the NIST CSF framework into its controls. That is to say, the HITRUST CSF incorporates comprehensive controls sourced from various security frameworks to address a wide spectrum of risks in business environments. By adhering to HITRUST CSF control requirements, organizations meet the criteria of both the NIST CSF and the cyber resilience as mandated by the NIST framework for improving critical infrastructure cybersecurity.
Benefits of HITRUST CSF for Healthcare
Whereas the NIST CSF applies broadly to any organization, the HITRUST CSF specifically helps organizations within and adjacent to healthcare to manage risks more effectively.
When HITRUST-compliant, these organizations will be well-positioned to:
- Meet the requirements of the HIPAA Rules
- Secure sensitive PHI
- Scale up security implementations across assets
Ultimately, the HITRUST CSF is more comprehensive and adaptive than the NIST CSF. Depending on your current security posture, you might benefit from a combination of the controls recommended by the NIST CSF and HITRUST CSF.
Optimize Risk Management with HITRUST CSF
Implementing infrastructure cybersecurity controls will help your organization effectively manage various security risks and keep sensitive data safe. Moreover, working with a HITRUST CSF partner like RSI Security can help you develop and optimize your organization’s risk management controls. Thus, you will enhance your overall cybersecurity posture.
Reach out to RSI Security today to get started!
