Still Using Spreadsheets to Manage Cyber Risk? That’s Your First Risk

Tomer Tal Publication date: 4 November, 2025

Spreadsheets may seem like a convenient way to manage cybersecurity and compliance, but for MSPs and MSSPs, they can quickly become a liability. Relying on manual tools introduces delays, increases the likelihood of errors, and makes it nearly impossible to deliver consistent, scalable results.

As client expectations grow, so does the burden of manually updating frameworks, tracking tasks, and preparing reports. What begins as a flexible approach quickly turns into an operational bottleneck that adds more risk than it reduces.

The real issue is that spreadsheets limit your ability to grow. Even with a small client base, manual processes slow down onboarding, reduce consistency, and add overhead from the start.

That’s where cybersecurity and compliance management platforms, such as Cynomi, come in. Built for MSPs, Cynomi replaces spreadsheets with automation, structure, and scalability. This blog examines the hidden costs and risks associated with spreadsheets and how Cynomi enables MSPs to scale securely, consistently, and confidently.

The Hidden Costs of Spreadsheets: Setup, Re-orientation, and Reporting

Managing cybersecurity through spreadsheets may seem straightforward and familiar, but the manual effort involved adds complexity, creates inefficiencies, and increases risk.

Manual Setup and Onboarding

Onboarding each new client requires manually setting up their unique spreadsheet. Whether you start from scratch or duplicate an existing version, each setup requires time, customization, and attention that doesn’t scale.

Time-intensive onboarding: MSPs must manually enter client data, map frameworks, and tailor assessments for each engagement.
Inconsistent starting points: Without a guided structure, each setup can look slightly different, leading to long-term inconsistency and missed requirements.
Scales poorly: What works for three clients can become unmanageable for ten or more.

Context Switching (Re-orientation)

Client spreadsheets are uniquely structured, often containing a mix of frameworks like NIST or CIS, risk assessments, remediation tasks, status updates, and meeting notes. This disparate design involves constant reorientation when switching focus between different clients.

Memory gap: It can be difficult to recall what was prioritized, why certain decisions were made, or what changes occurred, especially when there are days or weeks between sessions.
Manual recalculation: Before each meeting, MSPs must locate and review relevant sections, confirm task statuses, and reassess decisions based on current posture or new vulnerabilities.
Time drain: Reorienting can take 15–20 minutes per client. Across a growing client base, that overhead becomes a significant drain on productivity.

Lack of Standardization Across Clients

Manually built spreadsheets vary widely in structure, naming, and detail. This inconsistency makes it difficult to apply a uniform process across clients, limiting scalability and increasing the risk of oversight.

No uniformity: Clients with similar risks may receive different recommendations based solely on how their data is structured.
No determinism: Even with identical goals, outcomes vary depending on how each file tracks information. For example, one client gets MFA implemented as a top priority, while another with the same exposure doesn’t, simply because it wasn’t reflected in their spreadsheet the same way.

Manual Reporting and Communication

Manual spreadsheet-based reporting consumes time and prevents efficient, repeatable communication. For every engagement, MSPs must extract data, build charts, and format summaries by hand, often starting from scratch or heavily modifying previous reports.

Manual visualization: Charts, summaries, and dashboards are built manually and customized for each client.
Limited repeatability: While templates can be reused initially, each client’s unique risk profile requires manual customization.
Lack of automation: Spreadsheets don’t dynamically update when tasks are completed or frameworks evolve. There’s no centralized dashboard to instantly generate reports or apply changes across clients.
Inconsistent output: Reporting differs across clients, leading to inconsistent formatting and presentation, which makes it challenging to demonstrate clear, ongoing value.

These hidden costs don’t just waste time, they introduce real risk.

The Hidden Risks of Spreadsheets: Inconsistency, Error, and Eroded Trust

While many MSPs recognize that manual processes are time-consuming, they often overlook the significant security risks associated with managing cybersecurity using spreadsheets. Relying on manual inputs, disconnected files, and memory-based processes widens the margin for error. Small oversights can lead to compliance gaps, outdated assessments, or a loss of client confidence.

These risks include:

1. Increased Risk of Human Error and Security Oversight

Manual processes significantly increase the risk of overlooking critical updates or making decisions based on outdated information, especially under time pressure.

Missed updates: New vulnerabilities or framework changes may not be reflected in a timely manner, leading to outdated or incomplete roadmaps.
Context loss: Without proper reorientation, it’s easy to reference incorrect or outdated information during client meetings.
Compounding errors: Small data mistakes accumulate over time and can lead to misalignments in the roadmap, compliance failures, and a loss of credibility.

Risk: Decisions are made based on inaccurate assumptions rather than real-time insights, resulting in outdated recommendations, compliance gaps, and unaddressed exposures.

2. Inconsistent Execution Across Clients

Client environments change at different rates, and without a consistent process, those changes can be tracked differently in each spreadsheet. This makes it difficult to deliver a standardized approach or compare progress across clients.

Inconsistent priorities: Two clients with identical exposures may receive different recommendations, depending on how information was tracked or updated.
Lack of repeatability: Each analyst follows a different approach, resulting in varied outcomes and workflows.

Risk: Inconsistent tracking and execution lead to different levels of cybersecurity readiness across clients, varying service quality, and no reliable way to benchmark or measure progress.

3. Errors Under Time Pressure

Managing multiple clients and back-to-back meetings leaves little time to properly prepare for each client interaction.

Last-minute prep: Incomplete notes or outdated spreadsheets can lead to confusion in real time.
Incorrect recommendations: Missing context can cause roadmap missteps or priority errors that ripple into future planning.

Risk: Missteps during client interactions undermine professionalism, delay progress, and erode trust.

4. Diminished Client Trust and Perceived Value

Dense spreadsheets and inconsistent manual reports rarely inspire confidence. Clients want clarity with concise visuals, clear metrics, and visible progress. Spreadsheets often fail to deliver that.

Inconsistent reporting: Each spreadsheet has its own format and style, making it difficult to produce clear, uniform reports.
Limited transparency: Clients can’t easily see what’s been done or what’s next, weakening engagement and confidence.

Risk: Reduced client trust, diminished perceived value, and increased risk of churn when clients can’t clearly see progress or results.

Overcoming Hesitancy: Advice for MSPs Still Using Spreadsheets

For many MSPs, spreadsheets feel safe, familiar, customizable, and “good enough.” But what once worked for a handful of clients can quickly become a bottleneck as your business grows.

As Dror Hevlin, CISO at Cynomi, says: “If you’re managing cybersecurity through spreadsheets, you’re already accepting unnecessary risk. Automation isn’t about replacing your expertise, it’s about amplifying it.”

If you’re wondering whether it’s time to move beyond spreadsheets, here are some clear signs you’ve reached that point:

You spend more time managing spreadsheets than managing cyber risk.
You’re stuck updating cells, mapping frameworks, and formatting reports, instead of focusing on client strategy and risk reduction.
You worry about missing updates or misaligning strategies between clients.
You’re constantly scrambling to keep up with evolving frameworks, shifting threats, and client-specific changes, and it’s easy to lose track.
You’ve hit a ceiling on how many clients you can support effectively.
You’re stretched thin, juggling too many spreadsheets, switching between formats, and spending more time managing files than supporting clients.
Your client reporting is inconsistent, unclear, and time-consuming.
You’re rebuilding reports from scratch for every client, producing different formats and levels of detail each time, which makes it challenging to consistently show progress or value.

If spreadsheets are limiting your ability to scale, stay aligned with evolving requirements, or demonstrate value to clients, it’s time to upgrade your tools.

Why MSPs Choose Cynomi to Replace Spreadsheets

Cynomi is a cybersecurity and compliance management platform created to eliminate the pain of spreadsheets. Purpose-built for MSPs, it automates, standardizes, and scales cybersecurity management, without sacrificing quality or control.

Quick, painless onboarding: Get started in hours, not weeks. Cynomi accelerates onboarding with automated, interactive, and guided assessments tailored to each client’s industry and size. It then automatically maps responses to standard frameworks and generates prioritized remediation plans.
Cynomi accelerates onboarding with automated, interactive, and guided assessments tailored to each client’s industry and size. It then automatically maps responses to standard frameworks and generates prioritized remediation plans.

Time-saving re-orientation: A centralized dashboard shows exactly where each client stands: what’s been done, what’s next, and what’s changed. You’re always ready for the next client interaction, with no need to reorient before every meeting.

Standardized and guided workflows: Cynomi applies standardized workflows, ensuring consistent decisions and prioritization no matter how many clients you serve.

Real-time task and framework updates: When compliance frameworks evolve or new threats emerge, Cynomi instantly updates relevant tasks across all clients, keeping your guidance current and aligned.

Unified measurement and scalability: Cynomi provides a consistent cybersecurity posture metric across your client base, making it easy to track progress, benchmark improvements, and demonstrate value over time.

Scales with you: Whether you’re managing three clients or 30, Cynomi keeps your workflows consistent, efficient, and ready to grow, without adding complexity.

The Case for Moving Beyond Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets might help you start, but they can’t help you scale. What once felt flexible and manageable now creates complexity, inconsistency, and unnecessary risk. The more clients you serve, the more those hidden costs and errors compound, slowing growth, draining time, and eroding trust.

Modern cybersecurity services demand structure, accuracy, and scalability, i.e. capabilities that spreadsheets were never designed to deliver. Automated vCISO platforms like Cynomi replace manual effort with built-in intelligence, standardized workflows, and real-time visibility across all your clients.

With Cynomi, MSPs and MSSPs can focus on what matters most: delivering consistent, high-quality cybersecurity and compliance services that build trust, drive growth, and strengthen every client’s security posture.

Schedule a demo to learn how Cynomi can help you scale your cybersecurity and compliance services without spreadsheets.

Risk Management Framework Template [download]

Tomer Tal Publication date: 1 October, 2025

Education Templates

A risk management framework template helps organizations structure their risk strategy with consistency and clarity. In this article, we’ll explore what a risk management framework is, why templates are valuable, what components they include, real-world examples, and how automation simplifies building and scaling risk programs.

What is a Risk Management Framework (RMF)?

A risk management framework (RMF) is a structured system of policies, processes, and practices that organizations use to identify, assess, and address risks consistently. Instead of relying on ad hoc or one-off evaluations, an RMF ensures every risk is documented, measured, and managed through a standardized process.

Purpose of a risk management framework

The RMF defines how an organization approaches risk, helping organizations integrate risk awareness into everyday operations while supporting strategic decision-making. It includes:

Identification: spotting potential threats or vulnerabilities
Assessment: measuring their likelihood and impact
Response: deciding on mitigation, acceptance, transfer, or avoidance
Monitoring: tracking risks over time to ensure controls remain effective

Where and how RMFs are applied

Risk management frameworks are used to manage cyber threats like malware, phishing, or insider misuse, providing structure to technical defenses. RMFs are also applied around compliance, supporting adherence to regulatory requirements by aligning risks with established standards.. Lastly, RMFs are applied around enterprise governance, translating risk into business impact, giving executives and boards visibility into exposures and ensuring accountability across teams.
Below are core characteristics of an RMF:

Structured and repeatable: risks are evaluated using the same methodology across the organization
Scalable: adaptable for a small department, an entire enterprise, or multiple clients in the case of MSPs/MSSPs
Transparent: assigns ownership, documents decisions, and makes reporting straightforward
Aligned with standards: built on globally recognized frameworks to ensure credibility and consistency

Why Use a Risk Management Framework Template?

Implementing a risk management framework from scratch can be overwhelming. A risk management framework template provides a pre-structured model that helps organizations apply their risk management strategy consistently across teams, departments, and client environments. By starting with a template, organizations save time, reduce errors, and ensure alignment with recognized standards.

Standardize risk assessments

Risk assessments often vary when handled by different teams or individuals. A template ensures every risk is identified, scored, and documented in the same way, improving consistency but also making it easier to compare risks across projects, systems, or clients. For service providers, it standardizes delivery, ensuring every client receives the same structured approach.

Maintain compliance with major frameworks

A well-designed template incorporates mappings to widely adopted standards such as NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF), ISO 27005 for information security risk management, and COSO ERM for enterprise-wide governance.

By embedding these elements, a risk management framework template supports compliance readiness from the start, and it becomes much easier to demonstrate due diligence during audits, meet regulatory obligations, and reassure partners, insurers, or investors.

Improve reporting and communication

Communicating risk effectively is one of the hardest parts of managing it. A template provides common definitions, categories, and scoring criteria, so that technical experts, executives, and external stakeholders can all understand the same language of risk. This transparency helps leadership teams make more informed decisions about budget, priorities, and strategy.

Increase efficiency and reduce manual work

Without a structured template, risk management often happens in spreadsheets or disconnected documents, leading to duplication, gaps, and missed risks. A template reduces manual effort by organizing all necessary information in one place: categories, likelihood, impact, owners, and mitigation plans. When supported by automation platforms, this efficiency multiplies, freeing teams from repetitive documentation.

Strengthen business outcomes

A risk management framework template reduces administrative burden, but it also helps organizations adopt a proactive risk management strategy. By systematically capturing and tracking risks, organizations build resilience, reduce exposure to costly incidents, and improve their ability to meet contractual and regulatory obligations. For MSPs and MSSPs, using templates also accelerates client onboarding and demonstrates value faster.

What’s included in a Risk Management Framework Template?

Instead of starting from a blank page, a risk management framework template will help teams effortlessly capture the essential stages of risk management, identify risks, evaluate their impact, plan responses, and track progress. While each organization can customize the details, most templates include a common set of components that ensure consistency and clarity.

Below are the core elements typically found in a risk management framework template, with an explanation of how each contributes to a stronger and more proactive approach.

1. Risk categories and definitions

Every framework begins by defining the types of risks an organization should track. Clear categories prevent blind spots and help teams speak the same language. By standardizing definitions, the template ensures risks are logged consistently and not overlooked due to vague terminology. Common risk categories include:

Cybersecurity risks: threats such as phishing, ransomware, and cloud misconfigurations
Operational risks: process breakdowns, system outages, or supply chain disruptions
Compliance risks: failure to meet regulatory or contractual requirements (e.g., PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR)
Financial risks: fraud, market volatility, or unexpected costs
Reputational risks: brand damage from breaches, negative publicity, or service failures
Third-party/vendor risks: exposures introduced through suppliers, partners, or contractors

2. Impact and likelihood scoring matrix

Not all risks are equal. A scoring system allows teams to prioritize based on both likelihood (how probable a risk event is) and impact (the potential damage if it occurs). Such a scoring matrix provides objectivity, helps allocate resources efficiently, and enables clear communication to executives who want to see a visual representation of organizational risk.

A typical risk matrix uses a 1–5 scale for each dimension, creating a grid or heatmap where risks fall into categories such as low, medium, high, or critical.

Low likelihood / low impact risks may be monitored but not actively mitigated.
High likelihood / high impact risks become urgent priorities with assigned mitigation plans.

Here is an example of what such a matrix can look like, as part of a full RMF template:

Risk Description	Category	Likelihood (1–5)	Impact (1–5)	Risk Score	Owner	Mitigation Plan	Status	Framework Link
Phishing attacks	Cybersecurity	4	5	2	IT Manager	Deploy MFA, phishing awareness	In prog.	NIST AC-2
Supply chain delay	Operational	3	4	12	COO	Source backup suppliers	Open	COSO ERM
HIPAA audit gaps	Compliance	2	5	10	Compliance	Policy review, staff retraining	Open	ISO 27005

3. Risk owner and mitigation plan tracker

Structured accountability is key to successful risk management, preventing risks from falling through the cracks and ensuring leaders can see at a glance where bottlenecks exist. A template assigns a risk owner to each item, ensuring someone is responsible for monitoring and addressing it.

In addition, the framework includes a mitigation plan tracker, which documents:

The actions required to reduce the risk
Deadlines for implementation
Progress status (open, in-progress, closed)
Residual risk after mitigation

4. Framework alignment

A strong template also connects risks to globally recognized frameworks. By aligning risks to these frameworks, organizations can demonstrate due diligence during audits, avoid duplication of effort, and prove that their risk strategy meets industry benchmarks.

5. Monitoring and reassessment schedule

A template includes a schedule for monitoring and reassessment, for example, quarterly reviews, annual audits, or reassessment after major business changes. It ensures a continuous loop that captures new risks, keeps controls effective, and evolves the framework according to changes in the organization’s environment, further reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement rather than one-off compliance.

6. Reporting and governance layer

Beyond risk registers and scores, a template should facilitate reporting to bridge the gap between technical teams and decision-makers. The reporting layer of the template should include dashboards, executive reports, and governance structures.

Adopting a risk management framework template is one of the most efficient ways to operationalize a risk strategy, providing structure without reinventing the wheel, ensuring organizations can manage risk consistently at scale. Download our full Risk Management Framework Template here.

Risk Management Framework Template Examples

There’s no one-size-fits-all risk management framework template. While the core components, like risk scoring, ownership, and monitoring, remain similar, templates vary significantly based on their purpose and the frameworks they’re aligned with. The structure, terminology, categories, and required evidence all shift depending on whether the template is built for regulatory compliance, technical risk, or third-party oversight.

Here are three of the most common types of templates and how they differ in structure and usage according to their main purpose:

1. NIST Risk Management Framework template

The NIST risk management framework template is typically used by organizations that must meet U.S. federal or regulatory cybersecurity requirements, such as contractors working with government agencies. It aligns with the NIST SP 800-37 and SP 800-53 standards, which emphasize a structured, lifecycle-based approach to information system risk management.

In this case, the template should cover the following elements:

Categorization of systems based on impact level (low, moderate, high)
Security control selection mapped directly to NIST control families
Documentation with detailed system security plans (SSPs), control implementation summaries, and risk acceptance records
Formal authorization processes must be in place before systems can go live
Ongoing assessments and continuous monitoring plans

2. IT Risk Management Framework template

An IT risk management framework template focuses on technology-specific risks across infrastructure, software, cloud, and endpoint environments. It’s commonly used by internal IT teams, MSPs, and MSSPs who need a practical tool for assessing and mitigating risks tied to their IT stack.

In this case, the template should cover the following elements:

Categorize risks by system component (e.g., network, endpoint, cloud, access management)
Include technical risk indicators, such as patching delays, MFA coverage, misconfigured cloud buckets
Prioritize risks based on the business impact of downtime, data loss, or system compromise
Streamline content for operational action, not just documentation
Often will require integration with tools like vulnerability scanners, asset inventories, or CMDBs

3. Third-party Risk Management Framework template

A third-party risk management framework template focuses on vendor and supply chain risk, which is essential for companies that outsource services, rely on SaaS platforms, or handle sensitive data with external partners.

In this case, the template should cover the following elements:

Categorize risks based on vendor type, access level, and data sensitivity
Include a vendor risk assessment questionnaire to evaluate controls, certifications (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001), and incident history
Track contractual obligations, breach notification SLAs, and sub-processor use
Include fields for risk scoring, ownership, and mitigation plans specific to each vendor
May align with frameworks like ISO 27036 or integrate with third-party risk exchange platforms

When selecting or building a risk management framework template, it’s essential to consider the following aspects:

Your primary risk domains (technical, compliance, vendor)
Frameworks you need to align with (e.g., NIST, ISO, SOC 2)
The type of stakeholders involved (IT, compliance, procurement, executive leadership)
The level of required documentation and evidence

How Cynomi Supports Risk Management

While risk frameworks are essential, building and managing one manually can be slow, fragmented, and resource-intensive, especially for service providers supporting multiple clients. That’s where Cynomi comes in.

Cynomi’s platform helps MSPs, MSSPs, and cybersecurity consultancies deliver structured, scalable, and efficient risk management without the overhead of spreadsheets, disconnected tools, or added headcount. Cynomi’s AI-powered risk management platform can streamline the entire process from assessment to remediation planning and reporting, enabling consistent, high-quality services at scale.

Standardize the risk management process

Cynomi provides built-in assessment templates and a risk scoring model aligned with major standards (NIST, ISO, CIS, SOC 2, etc.), helping providers launch risk programs quickly. Whether you’re supporting clients in healthcare, fintech, or manufacturing, Cynomi enables you to apply a unified, customizable model across industries and client profiles.

With this standardized baseline, service providers can:

Eliminate inconsistent risk scoring across clients
Ensure every risk assessment follows the same structure
Present findings in a consistent, professional format
Track vendor risks across clients without switching tools

Automate Third-Party Risk Assessment

Cynomi streamlines third-party risk management by combining structured impact assessments with security posture evaluations. The platform helps service providers and vCISOs:

Evaluate vendors using predefined templates aligned with major frameworks
Calculate risk scores using an impact × likelihood model
Maintain vendor-specific risk assessments, including documented evidence and scoring
Visualize vendor risk across the client base via a heatmap and dashboard
Surface complex risks even for junior analysts, reducing reliance on manual assessments

Instantly generate mitigation plans and assign ownership

Once risks are identified, Cynomi generates prioritized, task-based treatment plans aligned with client objectives, bringing structure to your risk management program, ensuring that risks don’t just get logged but are actively managed. The system:

Assigns tasks to internal staff or client-side contacts
Tracks status updates (open, in progress, resolved)
Calculates residual risk after each mitigation step
Exports results into board-ready executive summaries

Support ongoing risk monitoring and reassessment

Cynomi’s platform enables continuous monitoring of each client’s cybersecurity posture, so clients stay audit-ready and protected, without needing a full-time internal CISO or constant manual reviews.

Working with Cynomi, you can:

Set automated reassessment intervals (quarterly, annually)
Refresh risk scores after changes to the environment
Instantly reflect new compliance requirements
Flag overdue remediation tasks before they become liabilities

Align with major frameworks

Cynomi provides built-in assessment templates aligned with major frameworks like NIST, ISO 27001, CIS, SOC 2, and HIPAA, so you can launch risk management programs without building everything from scratch.

This makes it easy to deliver:

One-time risk assessments (e.g., for cyber insurance or compliance readiness)
Ongoing risk management for long-term clients
Consistent, standards-aligned evaluations across clients and industries

Scalable, efficient, and purpose-built for MSPs/MSSPs

Cynomi is designed to be used across dozens of clients from a single dashboard. Here are some of the features that can enable you to offer high-impact risk services without adding new staff:

Multitenancy
Client-specific customization at scale
Automated reporting
Role-based access for internal and client teams

Cynomi gives MSPs/MSSPs a way to deliver enterprise-grade risk management and operationalize a modern, repeatable, and high-impact risk strategy.

FAQs

What is a risk management framework template?

It’s a structured tool that helps identify, assess, and manage risks using a repeatable process aligned with industry frameworks.

Why use a risk management framework template?

It standardizes risk processes, saves time, supports compliance, and improves clarity across teams.

What’s the difference between NIST, IT, and third-party risk management templates?

NIST risk management templates are focused on security and compliance controls across confidentiality, integrity, and availability. IT templates are broader than NIST and cover operational risks in IT systems. Third-party templates, on the other hand, evaluate risks introduced by vendors, partners, or service providers.

How does Cynomi help?

Cynomi automates the entire risk management process—assessments, scoring, mitigation, and monitoring—at scale for service providers.

5 NIST Security Challenges for Service Providers & How to Solve Them

Tomer Tal Publication date: 26 March, 2025

Compliance

5 Challenges Service Providers Face When Designing a Security Strategy with NIST - And Tips to Overcome Them

As more businesses outsource their IT and cybersecurity operations, service providers are expected to deliver not only strong protection but also alignment with recognized standards. NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) frameworks offer a powerful foundation for building secure, scalable programs. However, for MSPs and MSSPs, using NIST as the basis for a security strategy can be anything but straightforward.

In this blog, we explore the top three challenges service providers face when designing a security strategy using NIST – and how to overcome them. Whether you’re just getting started or expanding your compliance services, these insights will help you streamline your approach, avoid duplication, and better serve your clients.

Plus, don’t miss our Step-by-Step Guide to Compliance with NIST for Service Providers, designed to help you implement compliance best practices, streamline your processes, and maintain long-term security maturity.

Challenge #1: Choosing the Right NIST Framework

One of the first – and most confusing – challenges service providers face when building a security strategy with NIST is figuring out which framework to use. NIST publishes several frameworks, each tailored to different industries and use cases, with hundreds of controls spread across various domains.

For instance, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) is designed for general business use and offers a broad set of best practices suitable for most organizations. NIST SP 800-53 is the most comprehensive, originally developed for U.S. federal agencies, and includes an extensive library of security and privacy controls. NIST SP 800-171 targets government contractors managing controlled unclassified information (CUI), while NIST SP 800-66 is aligned with HIPAA and is commonly used by healthcare providers.

In reality, most businesses need to comply with multiple frameworks due to overlapping legal, regulatory, and contractual obligations. That’s where things get complicated. Many service providers attempt to manage this complexity using GRC platforms or spreadsheets, leaving them to sort through frameworks manually, deciphering overlapping controls and trying to ensure that tasks aren’t duplicated—often across five or more standards.

Tip: Start with CSF

If you’re unsure where to begin, NIST – CSF is a smart default. It’s comprehensive enough to build a robust security program and flexible enough to expand into more specific frameworks later – without duplicating work.

Challenge #2: Translating Standards into Actionable Tasks – And Avoiding Duplicate Work

Even after choosing the right framework(s), many service providers get stuck trying to figure out what to actually do. NIST frameworks provide guidance, but they don’t cover every edge case or tell you exactly how to implement controls in your unique environment.

For example, a control might specify that passwords must be a certain length. But what if a client’s system doesn’t support that exact requirement? NIST gives you the “ideal” standard, but not all real-world environments can meet that standard perfectly. Service providers have to use judgment to apply those standards in a way that balances security, practicality, and client constraints.

Translating NIST controls into actionable tasks is a highly manual process that demands time, expertise, and interpretation. Providers have to read through each control, determine its relevance, and build task lists from scratch. When multiple frameworks are involved – like HIPAA, PCI, and NIST CSF – the complexity multiplies. Many controls overlap, but without a centralized, automated approach, teams often end up recreating the same tasks multiple times across frameworks.

This leads to duplicated work, missed dependencies, inconsistent execution, and a growing pile of manual effort that slows progress and increases risk. For resource-constrained teams, this inefficiency can be the difference between a scalable security program and one that stalls out.

Tip: Automate

Platforms like Cynomi address this challenge by automatically translating NIST frameworks into clear, actionable tasks and mapping them across all applicable standards. When you complete a task, your progress is instantly reflected across every relevant framework – eliminating the need for manual interpretation or duplicated effort. You get precise guidance on what to do, why it matters, and how it strengthens both compliance and your overall security posture.

Challenge #3: Shifting from “Compliance Project” to Ongoing Security Program

One of the biggest challenges service providers face with NIST isn’t technical – it’s a mindset. Many approach NIST as a project to complete: a checklist of tasks to be 100% aligned with, so they can declare the job “done.” But that’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what NIST is.

NIST isn’t a legal requirement or a compliance certification – it’s a framework for continuous security management. It’s not designed to be “completed.” Instead, it helps organizations consistently monitor, improve, and mature their security posture over time.

That’s where the disconnect happens. Compliance, by definition, is a point-in-time assessment: once you pass your audit, you’re done – until the next one. But security doesn’t work that way. Threats evolve, systems change, and what was secure today might not be tomorrow. NIST is built for that reality. It’s not about getting through a list of 100 controls – it’s about building a repeatable, adaptive process that improves over time.

Unfortunately, many service providers still treat NIST as a one-time goal rather than an ongoing method. They attempt to tackle everything at once – often burning through time, budget, and resources – while overlooking the bigger picture: true security maturity is a continuous cycle of planning, execution, review, and improvement.

They often rely on general project management tools to track tasks but are left to manually determine task dependencies, align them with the right frameworks, and figure out which framework should drive the overall strategy. This fragmented approach makes long-term, consistent progress difficult to sustain.

Tip: Shift your mindset from “one and done” to “always improving.”

NIST is not the goal – it’s the method that gets you there. Build a system that supports ongoing planning, monitoring, and adaptation to keep your security program evolving over time.

With platforms like Cynomi, service providers can build long-term, flexible security plans aligned with NIST principles. Tasks can be organized into short-, mid-term, and long-term priorities. Recurring tasks, progress tracking, and automated updates help teams stay on track without burning out. It’s not about doing everything at once – it’s about doing the right things consistently.

Challenge #4: Limited Budgets and Resources

Achieving and maintaining compliance often requires a significant investment in security tools, skilled personnel, and ongoing monitoring. However, many service providers operate with tight budgets and lean teams, making it difficult to allocate resources efficiently. As a result, compliance efforts are often delayed, overspending becomes a risk, and teams are forced to rely on manual processes that consume time and energy.

One common pitfall is overestimating what’s needed—particularly when it comes to tools. Many providers assume they need to buy expensive solutions for every requirement without fully understanding the underlying security problem they’re trying to solve. In reality, not every control requires a tool. Sometimes, the most effective fix is a policy update, process change, or basic best practice. Without clarity on what each task is addressing, it’s easy to misallocate the budget toward unnecessary or misaligned solutions.

Tip: Don’t default to buying a tool for every requirement.

Start by understanding what the task is trying to achieve – then find the simplest, most effective way to get there. With the right insight, you can do more with less.

Platforms like Cynomi help address this challenge by offering context-aware, prioritized guidance. Tasks in the platform are mapped to relevant frameworks and controls and include a built-in “Recommended Solution” feature. Cynomi recommends categories of solutions that align with each requirement, helping service providers identify practical, cost-effective ways to meet controls without unnecessary spending or overcomplicating their approach.

Challenge #5: Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation

NIST frameworks are not static – they evolve regularly to reflect emerging threats, new technologies, and shifting best practices. Keeping up with these changes is an ongoing challenge for service providers, especially those without dedicated compliance staff. Frequent updates, combined with limited resources, can make it difficult to maintain continuous compliance. Without a structured system in place, staying aligned with NIST can quickly become a reactive effort rather than part of a proactive security strategy.

Maintaining alignment requires more than just checking boxes. It involves regularly reviewing and updating policies, training teams to stay current on security practices, and continuously monitoring adherence to the latest standards. Doing this manually can be overwhelming and time-consuming, often leading to delays, gaps, or last-minute scrambles before audits.

Tip: Automate

Platforms like Cynomi simplify this process by automatically updating regulatory mappings as frameworks evolve. As soon as changes occur, the platform updates all related tasks and plans – so service providers always stay aligned without the need for manual tracking or intervention.

Design Your NIST-Based Security Strategy with Cynomi

Designing and managing a NIST-based security strategy for your clients doesn’t have to be complex or resource-intensive. Cynomi’s AI-driven vCISO platform helps service providers address the biggest challenges of working with NIST – turning standards into action, continuously managing tasks, and keeping up with constant change.

Cynomi streamlines the entire process, enabling you to build scalable, repeatable security programs rooted in NIST best practices. Here’s how:

Automatic translation of NIST frameworks into actionable tasks: Understand exactly what needs to be done – no manual interpretation required.
Cross-mapping of tasks across multiple frameworks: Complete a task once and apply it to all relevant frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF, HIPAA, PCI, and more).
Recurring and prioritized task and plan management: Support continuous improvement with recurring tasks and structured progress tracking. Organize tasks into short-, mid-, and long-term plans to build a realistic, phased security roadmap.
Built-in “Recommended Solution” guidance: Get cost-effective, category-based recommendations for each task, helping you make smart decisions without overspending on unnecessary tools.
Automated updates with evolving standards: Stay aligned with the latest changes to NIST and other frameworks without manually tracking or updating anything.

With Cynomi, service providers can turn NIST into a living, adaptable strategy – reducing complexity, increasing efficiency, and proving value to clients through measurable progress.

Ready to simplify your NIST journey?
Learn how Cynomi can help you streamline your clients’ compliance journey. Book a demo today.