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.
  • Document materiality thresholds that trigger SEC Form 8-K Item 1.05 filings and ensure disclosure committees rehearse four-business-day decision timelines.
  • Integrate DORA Article 15 requirements by cataloguing critical ICT services, approving exit strategies, and aligning impact tolerances with operational resilience plans.
  • Refresh policy stacks (access control, vendor risk, incident response) so citations reference current ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and SOC 2 criteria.

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.
  • 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.
  • Maintain asset criticality maps combining CMDB data, business impact, and regulatory scope (PCI in-scope, HIPAA, SOX) to drive risk-based patching.
  • 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.

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.
  • Deploy behavioural analytics for identity systems using NIST SP 800-63 risk signals, capturing impossible travel, MFA fatigue, and privileged role changes.
  • 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.
  • Validate detection coverage using ATT&CK-based purple-team exercises and MITRE D3FEND controls, capturing detection gaps, false positives, and remediation commitments.

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.
  • Adopt secure configuration baselines referencing CIS Benchmarks and DISA STIGs; track drift via configuration management databases with automated enforcement.
  • Require SBOM attestation from vendors and integrate CISA’s Secure Software Development Attestation Form for suppliers supporting critical services.
  • Measure remediation throughput (time-to-remediate, backlog volume, percent automated) and present the metrics in executive dashboards alongside business impact.

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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Require evidence such as SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001, and FedRAMP authorisations; verify remediation of qualified opinions or exceptions.
  • Monitor cloud misconfiguration risk using CSPM tooling and CSA Cloud Controls Matrix mappings; ensure findings integrate with incident response metrics.
  • Establish exit strategies and data return clauses consistent with DORA and EBA outsourcing guidelines for critical ICT providers.

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.