Gap Assessment Services

A gap assessment, gap analysis, and readiness assessment all refer to the same process. They involve evaluating an organization's current state against specific compliance frameworks (such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, and NIST 800-171) to identify areas that need improvement and ensure readiness for certification.

Speak with a vCISO Today

Gap Assessment Process

A gap assessment is a systematic evaluation designed to identify the differences between an organization’s current information security practices and the requirements of a specific compliance framework. The process typically involves the following steps:

Define Scope and Objectives

Determine the specific compliance framework(s) to be assessed (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST 800-171, CMMC, GDPR, CCPA, etc.)
Identify the key objectives and outcomes desired from the assessment.

Collect Information

Gather relevant documentation, policies, procedures, and records.
Security Ideals CISO's will conduct interviews with key personnel to understand current practices and controls.
Provide actionable recommendations to address identified gaps.
Prioritize recommendations based on risk and organizational priorities.

Review and Analyze

Our CISO's will compare current practices against the requirements of the chosen compliance framework.
Security Ideals will identify areas where the organization meets the requirements and where there are gaps.
Security Ideals will provide a detailed report outlining the assessment findings, identified gaps, and recommended actions.

Compliance Experience — Our CISOs are highly experienced in navigating complex compliance landscapes. With extensive backgrounds in implementing and managing compliance frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST 800-171, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and more, they ensure that your organization meets the highest standards of information security. Leveraging their deep expertise, our CISOs provide strategic guidance and practical solutions to help you achieve and maintain compliance seamlessly and efficiently.

Why Conduct a Gap Assessment?

At Security Ideals, our vCISOs personally conduct all Gap Assessments, ensuring direct access to information security experts. You’ll never have to go through a customer service representative or project manager to get the expert analysis and guidance you need.

Is a Gap Assessment Really Necessary?

A gap assessment is essential before conducting an audit to prevent potential failure and avoid wasting money.

Here’s why:

Identify Deficiencies: A gap assessment helps identify deficiencies in your current information security practices compared to the compliance requirements. This allows you to address issues proactively rather than discovering them during the audit.
Save Time and Resources: By identifying and rectifying gaps beforehand, you can streamline the audit process, making it more efficient and less time-consuming. This preparation reduces the likelihood of costly re-audits and remediation efforts after a failed audit.
Enhance Readiness: A thorough gap assessment ensures that your organization is fully prepared for the audit, with all necessary controls and processes in place. This readiness increases your chances of passing the audit on the first attempt.
Mitigate Risks: Addressing gaps before the audit helps mitigate risks associated with non-compliance, such as legal penalties, reputational damage, and financial losses.
Cost-Effective: Investing in a gap assessment upfront is cost-effective compared to the potential expenses of failing an audit and having to undergo extensive corrective actions and re-audits.

Which frameworks + guidelines does Security Ideals work with?

1. SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2)
2. ISO 27001 (Information Security Management Systems)
3. NIST 800-171 (Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Non-Federal Systems and Organizations)
4. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
5. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
6. PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)
7. CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
8. FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act)
9. SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act)
10. ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems)
11. ISO 22301 (Business Continuity Management Systems)
12. NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
13. NERC CIP (North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection)
14. GLBA (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act)
15. FFIEC IT Examination Handbook (Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council)
16. COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies)
17. ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)
18. HITRUST CSF (Health Information Trust Alliance Common Security Framework)
19. FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program)
20. CSA STAR (Cloud Security Alliance Security, Trust & Assurance Registry)
21. ISO 31000 (Risk Management)
22. ISO 20000 (IT Service Management)
23. ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems)
24. CobiT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies)
25. Basel II/III (International Regulatory Framework for Banks)
26. NYDFS Cybersecurity Regulation (New York Department of Financial Services)
27. MAS TRM (Monetary Authority of Singapore Technology Risk Management)
28. BSA/AML (Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering)
29. CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)
30. ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems)
31. Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM)
32. CIS Controls (Center for Internet Security Controls)
33. Cyber Essentials (UK)
34. PDPA (Personal Data Protection Act - Singapore)
35. LGPD (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados - Brazil)
36. PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act - Canada)
37. Cybersecurity Law of the People's Republic of China
38. TISAX (Trusted Information Security Assessment Exchange - Automotive Industry)
39. AICPA SOC for Cybersecurity
40. FFIEC Cybersecurity Assessment Tool (CAT)
41. Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI)
42. Singapore MAS Technology Risk Management Guidelines (MAS TRMG)
43. SWIFT Customer Security Programme (CSP)
44. National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF)
45. ISA/IEC 62443 (Industrial Automation and Control Systems Security)
46. ENISA (European Union Agency for Cybersecurity) Guidelines
47. ANSSI (Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d'information) Cybersecurity Standards
48. ISO 28000 (Supply Chain Security Management Systems)

This comprehensive list covers a wide range of industries and regulatory environments, ensuring that organizations can find the appropriate framework for their specific compliance needs. If you don't see your specific framework, law, or guideline listed, please reach out to us via our Contact Page. Our experienced CISOs work across many verticals and can address bespoke requirements not listed here.