Cybersecurity pillar tips
Comprehensive controls for regulated security programs
This guide consolidates Zeph Tech research with mandates from NIST CSF 2.0, DORA, PCI DSS 4.0, SEC disclosure rules, and global threat advisories.
Use the checklists below to harden governance, detection, incident response, and vendor assurance without relying on generic boilerplate.
Governance & risk management
- Update program charters to reference NIST CSF 2.0 core outcomes, mapping each to accountable executives and board committees (NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0).
- Document materiality thresholds that trigger SEC Form 8-K Item 1.05 filings and ensure disclosure committees rehearse four-business-day decision timelines, referencing the SEC disclosure source extracts for evidence expectations (SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Rule).
- Integrate DORA Article 15 requirements by cataloguing critical ICT services, approving exit strategies, and aligning impact tolerances with operational resilience plans backed by the DORA enforcement source extracts (Regulation (EU) 2022/2554).
- Refresh policy stacks (access control, vendor risk, incident response) so citations reference current ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and SOC 2 criteria (ISO/IEC 27001:2022; AICPA SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria).
- Lock in NYDFS Part 500 second-amendment controls using the November 1, 2025 briefing to certify board oversight, privileged-access triggers, and ransomware playbooks before the final compliance date (NYDFS Cybersecurity Regulation).
Threat intelligence & exposure management
- Operationalise joint advisories from CISA, FBI, NSA, ACSC, and NCSC; translate TTPs into MITRE ATT&CK technique monitoring requirements within SIEM and EDR tooling (CISA Joint Cybersecurity Advisories).
- Score exploit trends using the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue and FIRST EPSS; prioritise remediation for vulnerabilities with EPSS probability >0.5 or active KEV references (CISA KEV Catalog; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System).
- Maintain asset criticality maps combining CMDB data, business impact, and regulatory scope (PCI in-scope, HIPAA, SOX) to drive risk-based patching (PCI DSS v4.0; HIPAA Breach Notification Rule; Sarbanes-Oxley Act).
- Feed vulnerability data into exposure dashboards aligned with NIST CSF 2.0 PR.IP and DE.CM outcomes so leadership sees progress against authoritative metrics (NIST CSF 2.0 Core).
Detection engineering
- Map each SIEM use case to MITRE ATT&CK techniques, detection logic, data sources, and tuning owners; update quarterly to reflect adversary activity reported in Zeph Tech briefings (MITRE ATT&CK).
- Deploy behavioural analytics for identity systems using NIST SP 800-63 risk signals, capturing impossible travel, MFA fatigue, and privileged role changes (NIST SP 800-63-3).
- Instrument OT monitoring with network segmentation rules derived from NIST SP 800-82 Rev. 3; ensure logs flow into a distinct OT detection stack with historian coverage (NIST SP 800-82 Rev. 3).
- Validate detection coverage using ATT&CK-based purple-team exercises and MITRE D3FEND controls, capturing detection gaps, false positives, and remediation commitments (MITRE D3FEND).
Vulnerability and configuration management
- Align vulnerability SLAs with PCI DSS 4.0 requirement 6.3.1 and FFIEC CAT Domain 3 expectations; document exceptions with compensating controls (PCI DSS v4.0; FFIEC Cyber Assessment Tool).
- Adopt secure configuration baselines referencing CIS Benchmarks and DISA STIGs; track drift via configuration management databases with automated enforcement (CIS Benchmarks; DISA STIGs).
- Require SBOM attestation from vendors and integrate CISA’s Secure Software Development Attestation Form for suppliers supporting critical services (CISA Secure Software Development Attestation Form).
- Confirm ISO/IEC 27001 transition status using the October 31, 2025 certificate sunset briefing so any suppliers or internal sites still on 2013 controls complete transition audits before accredited coverage lapses (ISO/IEC 27001:2022).
Incident response and communications
- Align playbooks with NIST SP 800-61r2 and sector-specific regulations (HIPAA Breach Notification Rule, GDPR Articles 33/34) to ensure proper notification sequencing (NIST SP 800-61r2; HIPAA Breach Notification Rule; GDPR Articles 33-34).
- Run tabletop exercises covering ransomware, supply-chain compromise, and destructive attacks; capture improvement plans with accountable owners and due dates.
- Stand up crisis communications templates that incorporate SEC disclosure requirements, customer contract language, and law-enforcement coordination notes; rehearse against the Regulation S-P incident-response deadline briefing so 30-day consumer notices and service-provider attestations stay audit-ready (SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Rule).
- Retain evidence packages (forensics images, decision logs, notification proofs) for legal discovery and regulator follow-up.
Third-party and supply chain assurance
- Tier vendors based on data sensitivity, operational dependency, and regulatory scope; align review depth with NIST SP 800-161r1 guidance (NIST SP 800-161r1).
- Require evidence such as SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001, and FedRAMP authorisations; verify remediation of qualified opinions or exceptions (AICPA SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria; ISO/IEC 27001:2022; FedRAMP Authorization Program).
- Monitor cloud misconfiguration risk using CSPM tooling and CSA Cloud Controls Matrix mappings; ensure findings integrate with incident response metrics (CSA Cloud Controls Matrix).
- Establish exit strategies and data return clauses consistent with DORA and EBA outsourcing guidelines for critical ICT providers, using the incident-classification source extracts to set supplier evidence obligations (Regulation (EU) 2022/2554; EBA Outsourcing Guidelines).
Reporting & assurance metrics
- Track leading indicators such as phishing resilience rates, MFA coverage, and security champion participation.
- Present lagging indicators including mean time to detect, mean time to respond, and regulatory audit findings to executive risk committees.
- Correlate security metrics with business outcomes—fraud losses, downtime minutes, regulatory penalties—to prove program effectiveness.
- Maintain evidence repositories for SOC 2, PCI DSS, and ISO/IEC 27001 audits with version-controlled artefacts and ownership logs (AICPA SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria; PCI DSS v4.0; ISO/IEC 27001:2022).