Securing organizations against today’s most advanced threats continues to be challenging, with APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)playing an increasingly central and vulnerable role, especially as digital transformation marches on. The NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (CSF) release underscores the urgency of addressing evolving threats and now emphasizes the importance of governance in Cybersecurity. Salt Security, focusing on API Posture Governance, provides an API risk management platform that seamlessly aligns with the updated NIST CSF guidelines.

What’s Different in NIST CSF 2.0?

The revised framework introduces several updates that impact how organizations should approach their cybersecurity strategy:

• Explicit Governance: The new “Govern” function demands establishing policies, procedures, and risk management strategies to oversee an organization’s cybersecurity efforts. “Govern” is also a critical piece of communication risk back to executives.
• Broader Inclusivity: CSF 2.0 applies to organizations across industries and sizes, not solely those within critical infrastructure sectors.
• Outcome-Focused Adaptability: Emphasizing profiles and tiers means companies can customize their compliance and security approach based on specific risk tolerance and business needs.

The Vital Role of APIs Risk Reduction and Governance

APIs are the connective tissue of contemporary digital operations. Their widespread and increased use introduces critical concerns for businesses seeking CSF alignment:

• Security Gaps: As API usage proliferates, traditional security tools may struggle to keep up, leaving an organization’s API ecosystem with poor visibility and inadequately protected.
• Elevated Data Risk: Vulnerabilities in APIs, which frequently process sensitive data, can cause damaging leaks and violate compliance regulations.
• Governance Challenges: Inconsistent API standards across internal teams such as security, development, and IT can breed security weaknesses across an organization.

Salt Security’s API Posture Governance Solution

Salt Security’s strengths lie in addressing these API-specific challenges head-on within the CSF 2.0 context:

• Comprehensive API Understanding: Through it’s a/MLI-driven engine, Salt Security continually discovers, maps, and inventories APIs. This provides visibility into an organization’s entire API footprint, eliminating shadow or zombie APIs.
• Policy-Driven Governance: Organizations can use pre-built policies or establish their own granular policies tied to API design, authentication, and access control, streamlining compliance and ensuring consistent security across all APIs.
• Risk-Based Prioritization: Salt’s behavioral analysis pinpoints anomalous API activity, highlighting APIs that could present a high-risk level and helping teams establish remediation prioritization to protect what matters most.
• Ecosystem Enrichment: Salt’s platform seamlessly integrates with various platforms, such as WAFs, API Gateways, and DAST tools, which offers deep insights into API risk and usage patterns, supporting CSF-aligned, data-driven decision-making.

How Salt Security aligns with NIST CSF 2.0 Imperatives

The synergy between Salt Security and CSF 2.0 offers organizations tangible benefits:

• Strengthened Governance: Salt Security makes API posture governance and security core to a comprehensive risk management strategy, aligning with CSF’s “Govern” function.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Real-time visibility into API risk patterns facilitates well-informed investments in cybersecurity measures.
• Customizable Compliance: Salt Security’s posture governance engine aids the formation of CSF profiles tailored to specific organizational needs and risk tolerances.

The Takeaway

Salt Security’s API Posture Governance approach stands out as a solution that bolsters a company’s security posture in an environment of ever-evolving cyber threats. The platform’s natural alignment with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 positions it as a critical solution for organizations prioritizing cybersecurity governance and establishing a robust API security program.

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*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Salt Security blog authored by Eric Schwake. Read the original post at: https://salt.security/blog/salt-security-api-posture-governance-and-the-nist-cybersecurity-framework-2-0