Mastering NIST 800-30: A Guide to Effective Risk Assessments
Art Clomera Vice President, Operations In the aftermath of several high-profile breaches and attacks on federal agencies this year, NIST 800-30 helps to translate the intricate vulnerabilities and countermeasures in ways that executive leadership overseeing the agency’s policy implementation can understand. Sharing information enables decision-makers to understand the full extent of the threat landscape in […]
Mastering POA&M Management: Strategies for Effective Continuous Monitoring and Success
Art Clomera Vice President, Operations Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) management is the act of compiling a must-do list outlining the actions and milestones needed to address security vulnerabilities and weaknesses within an information system. To this end, a POA&M is a potent management tool because deadlines are assigned for each task, and team […]
Your Shield Against Threats: NIST Security Controls Explained
Art Clomera Vice President, Operations Federal agencies would be paralyzed without the data centers and software systems that store and process data. But many cyberattacks aren’t politically motivated. Government agencies worldwide are often targeted for the vast quantities of personal information they keep about citizens. The market for this stolen data is more lucrative than […]
Key Insights from the NIST AI Risk Management Framework
Art Clomera Vice President, Operations The AI RMF is an extension of the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF), tailored for artificial intelligence (AI) systems. It provides organizations with a structured approach to identify, assess and manage risks related to AI technologies throughout their lifecycle. The new battlefield is dominated by software and hardware. To navigate […]
Exploring the NIST CSF Categories: A Comprehensive Overview
Art Clomera Vice President, Operations Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly confirmed that a cyberattack on U.S. government networks had affected several Federal agencies. In light of the events when hackers gained access through a security flaw in the widely used file-transfer software, MOVEit Transfer, this article will explore the NIST Cybersecurity Framework […]
Clarifying SSDF: An Overview of the Secure Software Development Framework
Art Clomera Vice President, Operations In response to President Biden’s Executive Order on “Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity (14028)“, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) designed the Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF). The creation of the SSDF was a strategic move to bolster the cybersecurity posture of Federal agencies. NIST also developed the Risk […]
Demystifying Software Bill of Materials (SBOM): A Comprehensive Guide
Art Clomera Vice President, Operations It’s hard to believe that until recently, organizations lacked a reliable method to know what components were in their software – imagine opening a medicine bottle and not finding the ingredients label. While the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) has been around for a decade, it’s gained traction in the […]
RMF Continuous Monitoring: How to Keep Your Cybersecurity Program Up to Date
Art Clomera Vice President, Operations In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving, making it crucial for Federal agencies to keep their defenses current. Risk Management Framework (RMF) Continuous Monitoring is a process that enables organizations to keep a watchful eye on their cybersecurity program and respond to emerging threats in a timely […]
How to Create a Comprehensive Access Control Policy (Featuring a Template and Illustrative Example)
Art Clomera Vice President, Operations Granting access to a valuable resource is a question of trust (conditional authorization) and necessity (continuous authentication). For example, consider a company office building. Some areas are publicly accessible, while others are restricted to specific personnel. These restricted areas may have confidential information or sensitive equipment and therefore are limited […]
How to Create a NIST Risk Assessment Report (with Template)
Art Clomera Vice President, Operations It doesn’t do a lot of good to think about cybersecurity risks in generalities. It’s even worse to not think about them at all. Imagine contracting a security firm whose slogan was “We’ll wing it!” Such vagueness invariably leads to a reactive – and, by definition, porous – risk posture […]
