Federal Framework Standard

NIST CSF 2.0Continuous Alignment

88 subcategories, 6 core functions, continuously evaluated across your entire MSP portfolio. The federal standard for cybersecurity risk management—automatically verified.

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Subcategories

Comprehensive coverage

Core Functions

Including new Govern

What is NIST CSF 2.0?

The NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 is the most widely adopted risk management framework globally. Released in February 2024, version 2.0 introduces the new Govern function, elevating cybersecurity to a board-level concern.

For MSPs, NIST CSF 2.0 provides:

A common language for security conversations with clients
Outcome-based objectives that map to any technology stack
Industry-recognized framework for insurance and compliance
Flexibility to tailor implementation to client risk profiles

6 Core Functions

New in 2.0 - Establishes cybersecurity strategy, expectations, and policy

Organizational Context (GV.OC)

Risk Management Strategy (GV.RM)

Roles, Responsibilities & Authorities (GV.RR)

Policy (GV.PO)

Oversight (GV.OV)

Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Mgmt (GV.SC)

Understand organizational context, assets, and risks

Asset Management (ID.AM)

Risk Assessment (ID.RA)

Improvement (ID.IM)

Implement safeguards to ensure delivery of services

Identity Management & Access Control (PR.AA)

Awareness and Training (PR.AT)

Data Security (PR.DS)

Platform Security (PR.PS)

Technology Infrastructure Resilience (PR.IR)

Identify the occurrence of cybersecurity events

Continuous Monitoring (DE.CM)

Adverse Event Analysis (DE.AE)

Take action regarding detected cybersecurity incidents

Incident Management (RS.MA)

Incident Analysis (RS.AN)

Incident Response Reporting & Communication (RS.CO)

Incident Mitigation (RS.MI)

Restore capabilities impaired by cybersecurity incidents

Incident Recovery Plan Execution (RC.RP)

Incident Recovery Communication (RC.CO)

The Difference

Continuous Monitoring, Not Point-in-Time Assessments

Traditional NIST assessments are snapshots. You assess once, then security posture drifts for months. BrainstormMSP evaluates NIST CSF subcategories continuously.

Aspect	Traditional Assessment	Continuous Monitoring
Frequency	Annual/Bi-annual	Daily/Real-time
Evidence freshness	Up to 365 days stale	Always current
Drift detection	None until next audit	Instant alerts
Prep time	60+ hours	<1 hour
Coverage	Point-in-time snapshot	Continuous posture view
Confidence	Low (static)	High (dynamic)

Govern

14 subcategories

Identify

10 subcategories

Protect

27 subcategories

Detect

8 subcategories

Respond

14 subcategories

Recover

6 subcategories

Evidence From Your Existing Stack

We do not ask you to install new agents or fill out spreadsheets. Evidence flows from tools you already use, mapped to NIST subcategories.

Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud

Backup job statusRC.RP-01
Encryption settingsPR.DS-01
Restore verificationRC.RP-03
Agent deploymentID.AM-01
Antivirus statusDE.CM-01
Vulnerability scansID.RA-01

Microsoft GDAP

Admin accountsPR.AA-01
MFA statusPR.AA-03
Role assignmentsPR.AA-02
Privilege driftDE.CM-03
Access reviewsGV.OV-01

Microsoft Entra

User MFAPR.AA-03
Conditional accessPR.AA-05
Guest accountsPR.AA-01
Sign-in risksDE.AE-02

NIST CSF Assessment Report

Professional Reports for Every Client

Every client gets a professional, PDF-ready NIST CSF assessment report. Perfect for QBRs, insurance renewals, board presentations, and compliance audits.

Executive summary with function-level scores
Subcategory-by-subcategory breakdown
Evidence citations for each outcome
Tier assessment (Partial to Adaptive)
Gap analysis with prioritized improvements
Trend comparison over time

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NIST CSF 2.0 Assessment

December 2025

Tier 3

Repeatable

72%

85%

78%

81%

74%

88%

Priority Improvements

GV.RR-01 - Establish security roles

DE.CM-03 - Monitor for unauthorized access

RC.RP-02 - Test recovery procedures

Insurance Ready

NIST CSF = Insurance Underwriter Confidence

Insurance carriers recognize NIST CSF as the gold standard for cybersecurity risk management. The new Govern function especially demonstrates executive commitment.

Questionnaire Mapping

NIST subcategories map directly to Coalition, Cowbell, and At-Bay questionnaire fields. 300+ answers pre-populated from your evidence.

Evidence Packs

Download carrier-ready evidence packs with NIST subcategory citations, tier assessments, and supporting documentation.

Premium Impact

MSPs report better underwriting outcomes when presenting NIST CSF-aligned evidence. The Govern function signals mature risk management.

Frequently Asked Questions

The biggest change is the addition of the Govern function, elevating cybersecurity risk management to organizational leadership. CSF 2.0 also improved guidance for supply chain risk, added outcome-based language, and enhanced integration with other frameworks like ISO 27001 and COBIT.

No. NIST CSF is designed to be flexible. You select subcategories based on your organizational risk profile and client needs. Our platform helps you prioritize based on your existing tool coverage and industry requirements.

CIS Controls are prescriptive safeguards (what to do), while NIST CSF is an outcome-based framework (what to achieve). They complement each other well. Many organizations use CIS Controls to implement NIST CSF outcomes. Our platform maps between both.

While not mandatory for most private organizations, NIST CSF is required for federal contractors and recommended by many regulatory bodies. Insurance carriers increasingly reference NIST CSF in their questionnaires and underwriting.

Absolutely. NIST CSF alignment demonstrates mature security governance to carriers. Our evidence packs map directly to insurance questionnaires from Coalition, Cowbell, At-Bay, and others. The Govern function especially resonates with underwriters.

Evaluation frequency varies by subcategory type. Protection controls are checked hourly. Detection capabilities sync in real-time. Governance elements are reviewed daily or on policy changes. All evidence includes timestamps for audit trails.

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Connect your tools and see your NIST CSF 2.0 posture today. No manual data entry or spreadsheets required.

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