Choosing the Right Cybersecurity Maturity Model to Strengthen Your Risk Strategy

With the surge in cyberattacks costing organizations billions annually, cybersecurity has become a top concern for business leaders around the world. As digital reliance grows, the risks grow with it. To protect themselves from this evolving threat landscape, organizations are increasingly turning to cybersecurity maturity models to assess, strengthen, and scale their defenses.

These models serve as strategic tools that allow organizations to evaluate their current cybersecurity capabilities, uncover weaknesses, and map out a path toward improvement. In addition to improving defenses, maturity models help enhance operational efficiency, support regulatory compliance, and increase confidence among stakeholders.

Let’s explore some widely adopted cybersecurity maturity models and how they support risk reduction and business resilience.

CMMC – A Layered Approach for Defense Contractors

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), developed by the U.S. Department of Defense, was designed to improve the security posture of defense contractors. Its primary goal is to protect sensitive government data such as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Federal Contract Information (FCI) from being compromised through supply chain vulnerabilities.

CMMC is structured around four core components: security controls, security domains, processes, and capabilities. These elements help guide contractors through a progressive, tiered certification system. As organizations move up in maturity levels, they adopt more advanced practices and demonstrate stronger cyber resilience—making the model a valuable framework for industries beyond defense.

NIST CSF – Building Blocks for Every Business

The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) is a flexible tool initially developed to help protect critical infrastructure but has since become a go-to framework for organizations of all sizes and industries. Released in 2014 and updated in 2018, NIST CSF outlines five core functions—Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover—which serve as pillars for a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.

Maturity within NIST CSF is assessed across four tiers:

• Tier 1 (Partial): Organizations at this level have minimal cybersecurity awareness or practices in place. Their risk management processes are reactive and fragmented.
• Tier 2 (Risk Informed): These organizations recognize risk and have taken steps toward managing it but often lack consistency or enterprise-wide coordination.
• Tier 3 (Repeatable): Cybersecurity practices are documented, regularly followed, and actively managed. Risk mitigation is embedded into broader business practices.
• Tier 4 (Adaptive): At this level, organizations continually refine their cybersecurity posture through data-driven decision-making and a proactive understanding of threats.

The NIST CSF helps organizations evolve from reactive risk management to a mature, adaptable security culture.

C2M2 – Industry-Vetted Capabilities for Critical Sectors

The Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model (C2M2) was developed to assess cybersecurity capabilities and enhance investment in protective measures, particularly in critical infrastructure industries like energy. However, C2M2 is also applicable to businesses across other sectors.

C2M2 is divided into ten domains, including threat management, access control, third-party risk, workforce development, and incident response. Each domain includes practices that are scored based on maturity levels:

• MIL1: Practices are performed but may be informal or inconsistent.
• MIL2: Practices are supported by defined, documented processes with allocated resources.
• MIL3: Practices are managed proactively, assigned to responsible personnel, and regularly measured for effectiveness.

This layered approach helps organizations prioritize improvements and benchmark their cybersecurity efforts over time.

Six Stages of Cyber Risk and Compliance Automation

Cybersecurity maturity also evolves through stages of risk and compliance automation. Here’s a breakdown of the six levels:

1. Initial: Organizations meet basic compliance requirements without aligning security efforts to broader risk mitigation goals.
2. Developing: The organization identifies risks and begins gaining executive support for cybersecurity investment.
3. Defined: Strategic planning for risk management is underway, though assessments may still rely on manual processes.
4. Managed: Regular reporting and a risk-aware culture emerge, with defined KPIs and growing alignment between teams.
5. Optimizing: Risk data informs strategic decisions, supported by an integrated IRM solution that streamlines assessments and reporting.
6. Dynamic: Security operations are fully automated, continuously collecting and responding to risk data across the organization with minimal manual input.

Each stage reflects increasing levels of sophistication, control, and integration—guiding businesses from basic compliance to advanced cyber resilience.

Final Thoughts

Cybersecurity maturity models provide organizations with a roadmap for improving security, managing risk, and aligning cyber initiatives with business objectives. Whether you’re just starting your journey or refining a mature program, these frameworks offer the structure and benchmarks needed to grow with purpose.

By aligning with the right maturity model—be it CMMC, NIST CSF, or C2M2—your organization can strengthen its defense posture, anticipate threats more effectively, and stay ahead in an environment where cybersecurity is no longer optional but essential.