The U.S. Department of Defense launched the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) in response to the escalating cyber threats. This initiative underscores the increasing emphasis on the maturity of cybersecurity programs as a benchmark for assessment and standardization within the Defense Industrial Base and its extensive supply chain.

Yet, a surprising revelation from Infosecurity Magazine indicates that a mere 22% of organizations have fully matured their cybersecurity programs. 

This article discusses the foundation of cybersecurity maturity, its significance, and best practices. 

Decoding Cybersecurity Program Maturity

At the heart of a cybersecurity program’s maturity is a demonstration of the organization’s ability to build, develop, and optimize security infrastructure to meet modern challenges. As the name suggests, “maturity” suggests a journey from simplicity to complexity, with more complex and demanding capabilities further down the line. Implied in the idea of a maturity model is that organizations that are ostensibly “mature” can continue to grow over time, deepening their technology stack, skills, and capabilities.

The Evolutionary Journey of Cybersecurity Maturity

Cybersecurity maturity isn’t an overnight achievement but a phased progression. Organizations evolve through distinct stages, each marking a higher level of capability:

• Initial: At this nascent stage, processes are sporadic and largely reactive, with organizations scrambling to address threats as they emerge.
• Managed: Organizations begin to shape consistent processes, acknowledging the need for a forward-thinking approach to cybersecurity.
• Defined: Here, processes are standardized, well-documented, and disseminated throughout the organization, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
• Measured: Organizations actively monitor their cybersecurity stance, employing metrics and KPIs to evaluate their efficacy.
• Optimized: Organizations reach a proactive high point, consistently exploring new approaches to bolster their cybersecurity controls using cutting-edge technologies and practices.

Why Prioritize Cybersecurity Maturity?

Prioritizing cybersecurity maturity isn’t just about defense; it’s about fostering a culture of security that permeates every facet of an organization, enhancing its resilience. The dividends of this commitment are manifold:

• Proactive Defense: Mature programs transition organizations from reactive responses to proactive defense strategies, preempting potential threats.
• Regulatory Adherence: With industries grappling with rigorous cybersecurity mandates, a mature program ensures compliance, preventing potential legal entanglements and reputational pitfalls.
• Operational Streamlining: Advanced programs refine processes, eliminate redundancies, and harness resources effectively, expediting security incident management.
• Stakeholder Trust: A demonstrable commitment to cybersecurity maturity instills confidence among stakeholders, paving the way for fruitful collaborations and business growth.
• Cost Efficiency: By thwarting breaches and minimizing their fallout, mature programs can yield substantial savings, shielding organizations from hefty fines and associated costs.
• Reputation Enhancement: In today’s digital landscape, where breaches are all too common, a robust cybersecurity stance can set an organization apart, bolstering its market reputation.

The Roadblocks to Cybersecurity Maturity in 2023

Achieving cybersecurity maturity is a dynamic endeavor, with challenges evolving yearly. What worked (or, what was considered “mature”) at one point and time isn’t necessarily applicable today. As we navigate 2023, several hurdles are shaping the cybersecurity maturity landscape:

• Privacy Regulations: The call for stringent online privacy norms is growing, with potential leadership transitions heralding many new regulations. Expanding regulations like CCPA and GDPR have only highlighted the importance of privacy and the challenge for organizations to integrate privacy into their overall framework.
• Change Management Hurdles: Organizations need a robust change management strategy to realize their digital transformation goals. Large-scale changes over massive organizations, particularly those that impact third-party relationships, call for management efforts above and beyond IT and operational logistics. 
• Technical Maturity Initiatives: 2023 might witness a surge in technical maturity projects as software firms grapple with the implications of diminishing stacks and the allure of capitalizing on existing data.
• IT Modernization Challenges: A notable fraction of IT leaders express concerns about their modernization initiatives’ future readiness, prompting many to expedite their digital endeavors. This can provide a major problem considering that maturity is predicated on continually self-assessing and modernizing. Threat actors don’t sleep on new innovations and attack vectors, and most organizations struggle to keep up.
• Digital Transformation Bottlenecks: The post-COVID-19 era has underscored the imperative of digital innovation. Yet, many organizations need help to attain digital maturity, represented in the demand for talented personnel, updated resources, and internal thought leadership around modern security expectations.

These challenges, while distinct, are interlinked, influencing an organization’s journey toward cybersecurity maturity. A holistic strategy, encompassing technology, organizational ethos, and strategic vision, is crucial to navigating these challenges.

Frameworks Championing Cybersecurity Maturity

Cybersecurity maturity is a continuous journey, seamlessly integrating into various frameworks to enhance their efficacy. As such, many frameworks either adapt parts of maturity models or build themselves exclusively around maturity and cybersecurity. Several renowned regulations and frameworks have embraced the maturity model, including:

• Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC): Spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Defense, CMMC aims to amplify the cybersecurity posture of the Defense Industrial Base and its supply chain.
• Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model (C2M2): A joint venture between the U.S. Department of Energy and Homeland Security, C2M2 primarily targets the energy sector, offering a holistic framework to augment cybersecurity capabilities.
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework: Crafted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, this framework presents best practices tailored to manage and mitigate cybersecurity risks.
• ISO/IEC 27001 ISMS: This global standard underscores the significance of a robust Information Security Management System, guiding organizations in its continual refinement.
• FAIR: A standout quantitative risk analysis model, FAIR empowers organizations to comprehend, analyze, and quantify information risk in tangible financial terms.
• CIS Critical Security Controls: Conceived by the Center for Internet Security, these controls offer a prioritized action plan, shielding organizations from prevalent cyber threats.
• Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI): Though not initially designed for cybersecurity, CMMI’s versatility has made it a preferred choice for assessing cybersecurity maturity, offering insights into diverse domains.

Build Your Cybersecurity Program Maturity with Lazarus Alliance

Cybersecurity program maturity is a long-term investment, necessitating consistent monitoring, optimization, and expansion of security controls. If you’re wrestling with regulatory mandates or internal pressures to elevate your security using maturity models, rest assured you’re on the right track.