Episode 165: An In-Depth Look at CIS Controls Implementation

In Episode 165 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Tony Sager sits down with Valecia Stocchetti, Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®), and Charity Otwell, Director of Critical Security Controls at CIS. Together, they take an in-depth look at implementing the CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®), including what you need to know to begin your own CIS Controls implementation efforts.

Here are some highlights from our episode:

• 00:53. Introductions to Valecia and Charity
• 02:48. How the CIS Controls ecosystem answers the deeper question of how to implement
• 06:42. The importance of clear strategy, business priorities, and a realistic timeline
• 09:56. How the CIS Community Defense Model (CDM) clarifies cyber defense priorities
• 13:01. The use of calculations around costing to make a security program achievable
• 15:31. Bringing IT and the Board of Directors together through governance
• 20:36. "Herding cats" as a metaphor for navigating different compliance frameworks
• 23:17. Why one prescriptive ask per CIS Safeguard starts cybersecurity workflows
• 25:30. "Why" vs. "how" communication, accountability, staffing, budget, and continuous improvement as keys to success for CIS Controls implementation
• 42:03. CIS Controls Assessment Specification as an answer to implementation subjectivity
• 47:21. Parting thoughts around team effort, change, and CIS Controls Accreditation

Resources

• Cloud Companion Guide for CIS Controls v8.1
• CIS Community Defense Model 2.0
• The Cost of Cyber Defense CIS Controls IG1
• Episode 132: Day One, Step One, Dollar One for Cybersecurity
• Policy Templates
• Episode 107: Continuous Improvement via Secure by Design
• Reasonable Cybersecurity Guide
• CIS Controls Resources
• CIS Controls As