01Introduction
When a team asks where to start with security, the CIS Controls are a common answer: a short, prioritized list of defenses that stop the most common attacks.
02What is CIS Controls?
The CIS Critical Security Controls, maintained by the Center for Internet Security, are a prioritized set of safeguards. Version 8.1 contains 18 controls, from asset inventory and data protection to incident response.
Safeguards are split into three implementation groups. IG1 is essential cyber hygiene for every organization, and IG2 and IG3 add safeguards for more complex environments. Control 7 covers continuous vulnerability management and Control 18 covers penetration testing. The controls map to NIST CSF, ISO 27001 and PCI DSS.
03How CIS Controls works
Teams work through the groups in order.
- 1.
Choose an IG
Pick the implementation group that fits your size, data and risk.
- 2.
Inventory first
Controls 1 and 2 (hardware and software inventory) come first because everything else depends on them.
- 3.
Implement safeguards
Apply the remaining safeguards for your group, such as secure configuration and access control.
- 4.
Validate
Measure with CIS benchmarks, scanning and, in IG2 and IG3, penetration testing.
04Threats and risks
The controls are built from real attack data.
Unknown assets
Devices and software nobody manages, and therefore nobody patches.
Known vulnerabilities
Exploited CVEs left open long after a patch is available.
Weak configurations
Default settings on systems and cloud services.
Untested defenses
Controls assumed to work without validation.
05How Parameter helps
Parameter covers the controls that require testing rather than configuration.
Control 18: penetration testing
The pentesting agents run continuous tests with documented results.
Control 7: vulnerability management
Managed vulnerability scanning with exploit validation.
Control 16: application security
Sentinel reviews code and Supply Chain tracks dependencies.
