A survey of federal IT professionals found 82 percent reported their organizations at least partially use the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity to improve their security, Dell [DELL] said Dec. 8.
Dell and survey partner Dimensional Research also revealed the majority of respondents, 74 percent, said their organizations are using the NIST framework as the foundation of a cybersecurity roadmap. The information comes from a survey of 150 IT and security professionals in the federal government completed in July.
The NIST Framework puts forward a series of industry standards and best practices to help organizations manage cybersecurity risks.
These survey results were released in a research report, IT Security in the US Federal Government, that sought to examine how IT professionals in the federal government managed conflicting goals of security sensitive information while also allowing employees to be productive within a limited spending environment, Dell said.
The data came from a series of online surveys fielded to independent sources of IT professionals. Some questions were asked of a larger group of IT professionals including other industries while some were asked only of those working in the federal government. Dell highlighted that all of the federal respondents work in government organizations with over 1,000 employees.
The report also said 68 percent of respondents said they are using NIST to improve organizational security and 39 percent are using it to create a uniform approach to discussing security. A larger number reportedly think they have enough resources to counter insider threats. 84 percent said they believe their organization is provided with the necessary resources and guidance to defend against insider threats.
Dell highlighted it has developed resources to support the NIST framework through guidance and tools.
“As security threats continue to increase in sophistication and frequency, holistic, end-to-end security is crucial. The NIST Cybersecurity Framework empowers agencies to identify, detect, protect, respond and recover from cyber threats, and it can serve as an excellent resource for government,” Paul Christman, vice president of Dell Software’s federal division, said in a statement.
“From Dell One Identity Manager to Dell SonicWALL’s next-generation firewalls, Dell’s security solutions help agencies get started by supporting the range of security efforts outlined in the framework,” Christman added.