Maximising Your Identity Security Posture with The Cyber Access Framework (CAF)

As we have already witnessed with the requirement of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to be used by NHS Trusts and the amendments to the Telecommunications Security Act (TSA) 2021, public sector organisations must continuously adapt to new regulations, frameworks, and best practices.  

 

For local councils, the NHS and other public organisations, security is not just about preventing breaches but also ensuring the resilience and ongoing protection of vital services and information. One of the key initiatives currently trying to better shape and secure the future of the cybersecurity landscape for these organisations is the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF). 

 

If you are involved in cybersecurity management for the NHS, local councils, or any organisation considered critical UK infrastructure, it is crucial that you gain an understanding of how the CAF can help you strengthen your security policies and procedures.  

What is the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF)?

The Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF), in short, seeks to improve the UK’s cybersecurity posture. It is a tailored guide designed to support public sector organisations in implementing the necessary policies and procedures to enhance cybersecurity resilience. Initially rolled out to NHS trusts, the CAF is becoming the gold standard for local councils and other organisations deemed critical UK infrastructure. The framework aims to provide a more structured, comprehensive approach to cybersecurity, compared to previous frameworks like the Digital Security Protection Toolkit (DSPT) which will soon be outdated as of March 2025. 

The Cyber Access Framework helps organisations in the public sector to: 

 

  • Evaluate the current cybersecurity posture 
  • Enhance overall resilience through actionable steps and mitigate risks to critical networks and information systems 
  • Meet regulatory standards and remain compliant with national and international cybersecurity regulations 

Who is the Cyber Access Framework (CAF) for?

The CAF is primarily for organisations that are responsible for securing critical infrastructure and information systems, including public sector organisations which are central to the functioning of essential public services and the protection of data. The objective for councils is to promote improved cybersecurity practices and cultures by allowing them to understand their cyber posture against a national benchmark.  

 

Since the introductory rollout of the CAF in September 2024, the framework has been rolled out to some local councils and NHS Trusts around the country to demonstrate compliance with strict cybersecurity standards. While smaller Trusts may continue to use frameworks like the Digital Security Protection Toolkit (DSPT) until March 2025, CAF has become the standard for larger trusts and will become more widely used in the coming year as the framework undergoes more development. 

 

By focusing on these organisations, the cyber assessment framework aims to create a unified approach to cybersecurity that better protects individuals, public services, and businesses. The point of making the CAF a requirement is to have councils undertaking the CAF themselves, which can be incredibly daunting if you don’t have the skills necessary to understand, interpret, implement and manage the necessary requirements. 

Four Key Principles of CAF

Managing Security Risk

Protecting Against Cyber Attack

Detecting Cyber Security Events

Minimising the Impact of Cyber Incidents

How Can CyberIAM Help?

While the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) does not solely relate to identity security, huge parts of the framework are Identity and Access Management (IAM/IDAM), Privileged Access Management (PAM) and Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), and that is where we come in. CyberIAM are here to provide specialised support for the IAM and PAM components of the framework, making it straightforward for you to go about your daily business, allowing us to take care of the technical side of implementation and management. 

 

At CyberIAM, we have teams of in-house experts with years of experience implementing IAM, PAM and IGA systems into small and large companies around the world and successfully executing our custom designed plans which are pre-approved by these customers. Our experts are at the top of their field; analysing, advising , managing , implementing and supporting the most innovative, top of the range identity security systems from our vendor partners into global, market leading companies, ensuring maximum security and fortifying their cybersecurity perimeters. Fully certified in our vendor partners’ software solutions, CyberIAM experts are best equipped to get you where you need to be on your CAF journey.

 

As the CAF is rolled out, we can help organisations work on the IAM and PAM related parts of the framework.

 

This includes: 

  • Implementing best practices for IAM and PAM that align with CAF standards 
  • Supporting compliance efforts by helping organisations meet the cybersecurity requirements set by the CAF 
  • Improving security resilience by ensuring that IAM and PAM systems are capable of adapting to the increasingly complex threat landscape 

 

Our experts would begin by assessing your current IAM state and helping you to define your requirements based on that current state and your eventual target state, bringing you to a place where we can then continue to build and support as needed. 

 

Taking care of your identity security posture is essential for securing sensitive data, protecting critical systems, and ensuring that only authorised individuals can access key resources. We are ready to help the NHS, local councils, and other public sector organisations to navigate the complexities of IAM and PAM, ensuring that they meet the rigorous standards set out by current regulations, and are able to navigate the cyber assessment framework. 

 

This will not be our first foray into working with the NHS. We have already been working with NHS Trusts around the UK helping them to become compliant with last year’s policy amendments requiring them to utilise Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to improve their existing identity security architecture. You can read more about MFA and what CyberIAM were able to bring to the table here. 

 

Our highly skilled experts are here and ready to serve you, hitting the ground running, helping you to build a more secure, compliant, and resilient identity security strategy. 

Are you involved in the NHS cybersecurity team? Do you perhaps work for your local council? Get in touch now!

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If you would like more information about CyberIAM’s Services offering, contact us here and a member of our specialised team will be in touch as soon as possible

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Current State Assessment guide

You can also check in on the status of your cybersecurity architecture using our carefully adapted Current State Assessment tool. Access our comprehensive guide here to discover how we initiate our end-to-end analysis, setting the foundation for providing you with the best possible advice. 

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