Every security control explained in plain English: what it is, why it matters, and what insurance providers look for.
A cybersecurity control is any practice, process, or technology that reduces your risk of a breach. Think of controls as the locks, alarms, and habits that protect your business. Some are technical (like requiring strong passwords). Some are procedural (like having an incident response plan). Together, they form your security posture.
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 is a set of best practices developed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. It organizes security into six functions: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. It’s the most widely recognized framework in the U.S. and is what most cyber insurance underwriters reference when evaluating your coverage.
The CIS Critical Security Controls originated as the SANS Critical Security Controls, often referred to as the 'Top 20.' The current version includes 18 Controls organized into three Implementation Groups. They’re more prescriptive than NIST CSF 2.0: they tell you not just what to do but in what order. CIS Control 1 (know what devices you have) comes before CIS Control 6 (manage user access) because you can’t secure what you haven’t inventoried.
Feel free to explore. Every control, every explanation, every industry note is free. No account required.
30 controls