Back to Blog
Compliance

NIST Framework Compliance in AWS and Azure

Kenny "The Coffisseur" Zhong
28 December 2023
10 min read

NIST Framework Compliance in AWS and Azure


The NIST Cybersecurity Framework has become the gold standard for cybersecurity risk management, especially in regulated industries. Having implemented NIST compliance across multi-cloud environments at Commonwealth Bank, I've learned that success requires a systematic approach that balances security, compliance, and operational efficiency.


Understanding the NIST Framework


The NIST Framework consists of five core functions:


1. **Identify**: Understand your cybersecurity risks

2. **Protect**: Implement safeguards to limit impact

3. **Detect**: Identify cybersecurity events quickly

4. **Respond**: Take action regarding detected events

5. **Recover**: Restore capabilities impaired by cybersecurity incidents


The Coffee Brewing Parallel


Think of NIST compliance like perfecting your coffee brewing process:


  • **Identify**: Know your beans, equipment, and desired outcome
  • **Protect**: Use proper storage, clean equipment, and quality water
  • **Detect**: Monitor brewing time, temperature, and extraction
  • **Respond**: Adjust parameters when something goes wrong
  • **Recover**: Learn from mistakes and improve your process

    • Both require continuous attention, measurement, and improvement.


    Cloud-Specific Implementation Strategies


    AWS Implementation


    Identify Function in AWS


    Asset Management

  • Use AWS Config for resource inventory
  • Implement AWS Systems Manager for patch management
  • Leverage AWS CloudTrail for activity logging
  • Use AWS Security Hub for centralized security findings

    • Risk Assessment

  • AWS Well-Architected Framework reviews
  • AWS Trusted Advisor for security recommendations
  • Third-party vulnerability scanning tools
  • Regular penetration testing

    • Protect Function in AWS


    Access Control

  • AWS IAM with least privilege principles
  • AWS Organizations for account management
  • AWS SSO for centralized authentication
  • AWS Secrets Manager for credential management

    • Data Security

  • AWS KMS for encryption key management
  • S3 bucket policies and encryption
  • RDS encryption at rest and in transit
  • AWS Certificate Manager for SSL/TLS

    • Infrastructure Protection

  • AWS WAF for web application protection
  • AWS Shield for DDoS protection
  • VPC security groups and NACLs
  • AWS GuardDuty for threat detection

    • Detect Function in AWS


    Continuous Monitoring

  • Amazon CloudWatch for metrics and logs
  • AWS GuardDuty for threat intelligence
  • AWS Security Hub for security posture
  • AWS Detective for security investigation

    • Malicious Activity Detection

  • AWS Macie for data classification and protection
  • Amazon Inspector for vulnerability assessment
  • Third-party SIEM integration
  • Custom CloudWatch alarms and metrics

    • Respond Function in AWS


    Response Planning

  • AWS Systems Manager for automated response
  • AWS Lambda for custom response functions
  • AWS Step Functions for workflow orchestration
  • Integration with incident response tools

    • Communications

  • Amazon SNS for notifications
  • AWS Chatbot for Slack/Teams integration
  • Custom dashboards with Amazon QuickSight
  • Automated reporting with AWS Config

    • Recover Function in AWS


    Recovery Planning

  • AWS Backup for centralized backup management
  • Cross-region replication strategies
  • AWS Disaster Recovery services
  • Regular recovery testing procedures

    • Azure Implementation


    Identify Function in Azure


    Asset Management

  • Azure Resource Graph for resource queries
  • Azure Security Center for security posture
  • Azure Monitor for comprehensive monitoring
  • Azure Policy for governance

    • Risk Assessment

  • Azure Advisor for recommendations
  • Azure Security Center secure score
  • Third-party vulnerability management
  • Regular security assessments

    • Protect Function in Azure


    Access Control

  • Azure Active Directory for identity management
  • Azure RBAC for resource access control
  • Azure Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
  • Azure Key Vault for secrets management

    • Data Security

  • Azure Information Protection for data classification
  • Azure Storage encryption
  • Azure SQL Database encryption
  • Azure Disk Encryption

    • Infrastructure Protection

  • Azure Firewall for network security
  • Azure DDoS Protection
  • Network Security Groups (NSGs)
  • Azure Application Gateway with WAF

    • Detect Function in Azure


    Continuous Monitoring

  • Azure Monitor for metrics and logs
  • Azure Security Center for threat detection
  • Azure Sentinel for SIEM capabilities
  • Azure Advanced Threat Protection

    • Malicious Activity Detection

  • Microsoft Defender for Cloud
  • Azure Sentinel analytics rules
  • Custom detection queries (KQL)
  • Integration with threat intelligence feeds

    • Respond Function in Azure


    Response Planning

  • Azure Logic Apps for automated workflows
  • Azure Functions for custom response code
  • Azure Automation for runbook execution
  • Integration with ServiceNow/Jira

    • Communications

  • Azure Monitor alerts
  • Microsoft Teams integration
  • Power BI for security dashboards
  • Automated incident creation

    • Recover Function in Azure


    Recovery Planning

  • Azure Backup for data protection
  • Azure Site Recovery for disaster recovery
  • Geo-redundant storage options
  • Regular backup testing procedures

    • Multi-Cloud Compliance Strategy


    Unified Governance


    Policy Management

  • Use Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, ARM templates)
  • Implement consistent tagging strategies
  • Centralized policy enforcement
  • Regular compliance auditing

    • Monitoring and Reporting

  • Centralized logging with ELK stack or Splunk
  • Cross-cloud security dashboards
  • Automated compliance reporting
  • Regular security metrics reviews

    • Common Challenges and Solutions


    Challenge 1: Inconsistent Security Posture


    *Problem*: Different security configurations across clouds.


    *Solution*:

  • Standardized security baselines
  • Infrastructure as Code templates
  • Automated compliance checking
  • Regular security assessments

    • Challenge 2: Complex Identity Management


    *Problem*: Managing identities across multiple cloud providers.


    *Solution*:

  • Federated identity management
  • Single sign-on (SSO) implementation
  • Centralized identity governance
  • Regular access reviews

    • Challenge 3: Compliance Reporting


    *Problem*: Generating consistent compliance reports across clouds.


    *Solution*:

  • Automated compliance tools (AWS Config, Azure Policy)
  • Centralized compliance dashboard
  • Regular audit preparation
  • Continuous compliance monitoring

    • Implementation Roadmap


    Phase 1: Foundation (Months 1-3)

  • Asset inventory and classification
  • Risk assessment and gap analysis
  • Security baseline establishment
  • Initial monitoring implementation

    • Phase 2: Protection (Months 4-6)

  • Identity and access management
  • Data encryption implementation
  • Network security controls
  • Vulnerability management program

    • Phase 3: Detection (Months 7-9)

  • Security monitoring tools deployment
  • SIEM implementation and tuning
  • Threat intelligence integration
  • Incident detection procedures

    • Phase 4: Response (Months 10-12)

  • Incident response plan development
  • Automated response capabilities
  • Communication procedures
  • Response team training

    • Phase 5: Recovery (Months 13-15)

  • Backup and recovery procedures
  • Disaster recovery planning
  • Business continuity testing
  • Continuous improvement process

    • Lessons Learned from Financial Services


    Key Success Factors


    1. **Executive Support**: Strong leadership commitment is essential

    2. **Cross-functional Teams**: Include security, operations, and business stakeholders

    3. **Automation**: Automate compliance checking and reporting where possible

    4. **Continuous Improvement**: Regular reviews and updates to security posture

    5. **Training**: Ongoing security awareness and technical training


    Common Pitfalls


    1. **Checkbox Mentality**: Focusing on compliance rather than security outcomes

    2. **Tool Sprawl**: Implementing too many security tools without integration

    3. **Lack of Documentation**: Poor documentation of security procedures

    4. **Insufficient Testing**: Not regularly testing security controls and procedures

    5. **Ignoring Cloud-Native Features**: Not leveraging cloud provider security services


    Measuring Success


    Compliance Metrics

  • Percentage of assets with complete inventory
  • Time to detect security incidents
  • Mean time to respond to incidents
  • Percentage of systems with current patches
  • Number of successful compliance audits

    • Security Metrics

  • Reduction in security incidents
  • Improvement in security posture scores
  • Decrease in vulnerability exposure time
  • Increase in security awareness training completion
  • Reduction in compliance findings

    • Conclusion


    NIST Framework compliance in multi-cloud environments requires a thoughtful, systematic approach. Like brewing exceptional coffee, it's about understanding your ingredients (assets), following proven processes (controls), and continuously refining your technique (improvement).


    The key is to start with a solid foundation, leverage cloud-native security services, and maintain a focus on continuous improvement. Remember, compliance is not a destination—it's an ongoing journey of security maturity.


    Success comes from treating NIST not as a checklist, but as a framework for building a robust, resilient security program that protects your organization while enabling business objectives.



    How has your organization approached NIST compliance in the cloud? I'd love to hear about your experiences and lessons learned.