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02 - Govern and Identify Functions

govern-and-identify-functions', 'appsec', 'security', 'compliance']​

02 - Govern and Identify Functions

GOVERN (GV)​

The new GOVERN function emphasizes that cybersecurity risk is a board-level issue, integrating it with the organization's broader enterprise risk management strategy.

Key Categories​

  • Organizational Context (GV.OC): Understanding the business mission, stakeholder expectations, and legal/regulatory requirements.
  • Risk Management Strategy (GV.RM): Establishing the organization's risk tolerance and risk management processes.
  • Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities (GV.RR): Defining who is accountable for cybersecurity outcomes.
  • Policy (GV.PO): Establishing and communicating organizational cybersecurity policy.

Strategic Implementation​

  • Establish a Cybersecurity Steering Committee.
  • Integrate cyber risk into the Enterprise Risk Register.

IDENTIFY (ID)​

Understanding what you have is the prerequisite to protecting it. The Identify function focuses on discovering and assessing assets, vulnerabilities, and third-party risks.

Asset Management (ID.AM)​

You cannot secure what you cannot see.

  • Hardware & Software Inventories: Maintain automated CMDBs (Configuration Management Databases).
  • Data Mapping: Understand data flows, classification (e.g., PII, PHI), and storage locations.

Risk Assessment (ID.RA)​

  • Identify internal and external threats.
  • Perform continuous vulnerability scanning.
  • Quantify risks based on likelihood and impact.

Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) (ID.SC)​

Third-party risk is one of the largest attack vectors.

  • Implement vendor risk assessments.
  • Require software bills of materials (SBOMs) from suppliers.
  • Monitor open-source dependencies.

[!TIP] Automate asset discovery using cloud-native tools like AWS Systems Manager or Azure Resource Graph to ensure your ID.AM outcomes are accurate and continuously updated.