Aug 6, 2024 - Meet the NIST Cybersecurity Framework DETECT Function

As cyberthreats continue to expand and evolve, it’s nearly impossible to overstate the importance of ensuring you have the most effective cybersecurity protections possible.

While there’s no shortage of frameworks and guidelines designed to help you bolster your cybersecurity strategy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) provides one of the most comprehensive and easy-to-follow approaches.

This voluntary framework provides a prioritized, flexible, repeatable, performance-based, and cost-effective approach to managing cybersecurity risk. It’s organized into five core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. This month, we’re focusing on the Detect function. While every function is important, Detect plays a critical role in identifying cybersecurity events in a timely manner, so you can respond effectively and minimize the potential damage.

We can break down the Detect function into three main categories:

1. Anomalies and Events
2. Continuous Monitoring
3. Detection Processes

Each of these categories contains subcategories that include more detailed guidelines for developing an effective detection program.

Category 1: Anomalies and Events

This category covers the process of establishing a baseline for normal operations. When you know what normal is, you’re better able to spot activities that could indicate a cybersecurity threat. The key activities within this category include:

• Defining Normal: Understanding what constitutes normal behavior within your organization's network and systems is the essential first step. This involves observing and documenting your network traffic, system performance, and user behavior across typical day-to-day conditions.
• Spotting Anomalies: Once you’ve established your baseline, you’ll develop processes to flag any deviations from it, marking them as potential threats. Those deviations could include unusual or multiple incorrect login attempts, abnormal data transfers, or unexpected changes in your system’s performance.
• Analyzing Events: Once you’ve spotted an anomaly, you need a process to examine it to determine if it’s a false alarm, or an actual cybersecurity threat. Conducting this analysis often includes bringing together data from multiple sources and leveraging threat intelligence to assess what you’re really dealing with. (Threat intelligence involves gathering data and analyzing it to identify patterns and using that information to inform your security decisions.)

To detect anomalies effectively, you may need advanced tools, such as Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and machine learning algorithms that can identify patterns indicative of potential threats. (This is definitely one area where outside expertise can prove invaluable.)

Category 2: Continuous Monitoring

This category emphasizes the importance of initiating a vigilant surveillance process to watch for cybersecurity issues. Continuous monitoring involves these activities:

• Keeping an Eye on Everything: You’ll want to initiate 24/7 monitoring of every technology asset for signs of potential security incidents. That includes networks, systems, devices, and applications. Your monitoring system should also watch your network traffic, system logs, and application performance.
• Implementing Alerts: An automated alert mechanism is crucial for spotting potential cybersecurity events before they can do damage. Your alerts should be configured to notify relevant personnel when specific conditions or thresholds are met, like unusual network or login activity.
• Regular Reviews: Regularly reviewing monitoring data and alerts ensures that you can promptly identify and address potential threats. Your reviewing schedule should include conducting periodic audits and assessments to ensure that monitoring tools and processes are up-to-date and still effective.

According to The State of Cybersecurity 2024 Trends Report from Arctic Wolf, 67% of ransomware attack victims surveyed were not monitoring for threats at the network level. But, with an effective continuous monitoring process in place, you’ll always have a thorough understanding of your current cybersecurity stance and be able to quickly identify and respond to potential threats.

Category 3: Detection Processes

In this phase, you’ll focus on establishing and maintaining effective procedures and strategies that enable you to spot a cybersecurity event as early as possible, in order to minimize any impact. Key activities in this category include:

• Developing Detection Policies: Create, document, and share your policies and procedures for detecting cybersecurity events. Your policies should outline how you define an event, the tools and technologies you’ll use for detection, and the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the detection process.
• Testing and Refining Your Processes: The processes you put in place today may not be effective next week. So, it’s important to conduct consistent testing and refinement. You may want to conduct attack simulations, such as penetration testing or “red teaming,” which involves bringing in an outside team to attempt an intrusion, and then report back so you see where improvements are needed.
• Training and Awareness: Ensuring your entire team is trained and aware of detection processes is crucial for effective detection. Regular training sessions and updates can help employees better recognize potential threats and respond appropriately.

When you have robust detection processes in place, you can feel confident you’re equipped to identify and respond to cybersecurity events quickly and effectively, ensure your entire organization stays operational.

The Importance of the Detect Function

The Detect function is a critical component of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework because it serves as your early warning system for potential cybersecurity threats. When you have processes in place to spot threats early, you’ll be able to:

• Minimize Damage: A quick, early response will mitigate the impact of a cybersecurity event, reducing potential damage to your systems, data, and reputation.
• Improve Your Response: Detection provides valuable insights into the nature and scope of a cybersecurity event, which can guide your response efforts and help determine the most effective steps to take.
• Enhance Your Preparedness: By continuously monitoring and analyzing potential threats, you’re better able to stay ahead of emerging risks and enhance your overall cybersecurity posture.

As cyber-attacks become increasingly sophisticated and frequent, the ability to detect potential threats quickly and accurately is more important than ever. The Detect function, with its focus on anomalies and events, continuous monitoring, and robust detection processes, ensures you have the tools and strategies you need to stay vigilant, protect your critical assets, and maintain operational resilience.

Ready to learn more about detecting threats before they wreak havoc?

You’re invited to join us for the next edition of our Cybersecurity Webinar Series based on the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. This time, we’ll be taking a deeper dive into the Detect function. CompassMSP CEO Ari Santiago and VP of Sales Matt Tomlinson will discuss developing a proactive approach to threat detection, strategies for minimizing disruption, and much more. We hope to see you there.

Detect: Proactive Threat Detection that Enhances Business Continuity

You're invited to join us on August 29th at 1:00 PM EDT for "Detect: Proactive Threat Detection: ENhancing Business Continuity & Cyber Readiness".