From Confusion to Confidence: Guiding Framework Adoption for Cybersecurity Resilience

When organizations face the rising tide of cyber threats, the instinctive response is often reactive: Install another tool, outsource another function, or draft another policy. While well intentioned, these steps often create fragmented security programs that lack cohesion and clarity.

Having worked with both Big Four consulting firms and enterprise GRC software providers, I’ve helped organizations across industries transform their approach — from firefighting to fireworks. Whether adopting ISO 27001 or aligning with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), I’ve seen firsthand that success depends less on the framework itself and more on how it’s introduced and why it’s embraced.

Let’s walk through how organizations can make these transitions not just smoother but also truly transformative.

1. Start With “Why”: Make It More Than Just Checking the Box

Too often, a cybersecurity framework is adopted because a client requests it, an audit finding requires it, or a regulator hints at it. While those are valid triggers, they are rarely enough to create lasting change.

Consider the case of Colonial Pipeline, whose 2021 ransomware attack disrupted fuel supply across the Eastern US. According to official reports, weak password practices and a lack of multi-factor authentication contributed to the breach. Afterward, executives scrambled to align with stronger frameworks. But what if proactive alignment had happened earlier, rooted in risk — not just compliance?

Actionable Tip: Frame the adoption around your business’s risk appetite, customer trust, and resilience goals. Translate technical controls into tangible business outcomes like uptime, IP protection, and customer confidence.

2. Choose the Right Fit: ISO 27001 vs. NIST CSF

ISO 27001 and NIST CSF are both robust cybersecurity frameworks, but they serve different purposes. ISO 27001 offers a globally recognized certification path and a strong focus on the Information Security Management System (ISMS). NIST CSF, developed by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, is more flexible, maturity based, and modular. 

From my experience:

• Financial institutions often gravitate to ISO 27001 for its audit-ready structure and international credibility.

• US-based critical infrastructure providers lean toward NIST CSF, particularly when aligning with regulatory bodies like the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) or sector-specific standards like the North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC-CIP) standards.

But there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. In some cases, organizations blend them: using NIST CSF to build internal maturity and ISO 27001 for external certification.

3. Secure Buy-In: From IT to the Boardroom

One of the biggest hurdles is leadership engagement. Boards want to hear about business risk, not control mappings. On the flip side, CISOs and IT teams are often knee-deep in technical debt and legacy systems. Bridging this gap is critical. In one manufacturing firm I advised, the ISO 27001 initiative stalled twice until we shifted the conversation from “controls and audits” to “protecting proprietary designs from industrial espionage.” Once the CTO and Board linked the controls to real operational risk, we gained the momentum to move forward — and successfully certified within 12 months.

Actionable Tip: Develop stakeholder-specific messaging. Use heat maps, financial impact scenarios, and industry breach examples to show why it matters to them.

4. Operationalize It: Technology Is Your Ally, Not Your Answer

Many organizations get stuck in the documentation phase, producing beautiful policies that sit unused. To avoid this, frameworks must be operationalized through training, testing, and, where appropriate, technology.

A GRC platform can play a critical role in:

• Mapping controls to framework requirements.

• Automating assessments and evidence collection.

• Tracking remediation across departments.

• Maintaining a system of record for audits.

Modern GRC platforms are usually highly configurable, designed to provide a strong foundation of best practices while remaining flexible enough to adapt to your organization’s unique program requirements. The key is ensuring the framework drives the system design, not the other way around. Let your program’s goals and priorities shape how the technology is implemented — not just how it’s used.

5. Learn From Others: Frameworks Alone Don’t Prevent Breaches

Even well-aligned organizations are not immune to attacks. In 2023, Clorox suffered a cyber attack that caused weeks of supply chain disruption, leading to a quarterly loss. While Clorox had a cybersecurity program in place, the incident revealed that planning and cross-functional coordination were underdeveloped. 

That’s why a framework is not the endpoint — it’s a baseline.

Adopting a framework like NIST CSF or ISO 27001 should be the beginning of a larger shift toward something like OCEG™’s Principled Performance: aligning strategy, risk, and compliance in a way that drives the business forward, not just keeps it safe.

If I’ve learned anything after two decades in GRC, it’s this: frameworks fail when they are implemented to teams, rather than with them. Cybersecurity maturity takes time, iteration, and commitment. But when done right, it reduces risk and strengthens your organization’s ability to adapt, compete, and thrive.

Ready to Put a Framework Into Action?

If your organization is navigating the adoption of ISO 27001, NIST CSF, or another cybersecurity framework, the right technology can help turn strategy into execution. Origami Risk’s GRC software solution is purpose-built to streamline control mapping, automate assessments, and provide real-time visibility into enterprise risk so you can stay focused on what matters most: protecting your business. Learn more.

About the Author

Jon Schulz is a product and technology expert with nearly 20 years of experience in client service, system design, and implementation, including over 10 years of experience as a risk advisor and practitioner focused on the development, implementation, and improvement of risk processes and systems. As the Senior Market Strategy Lead for GRC at Origami Risk, Jon brings a proven track record and passion for process innovations, leadership, customer focus, and technical prowess to further enhance Origami Risk’s solution offering and market presence.

Before joining Origami Risk, Jon spent time as a risk practitioner with Target Corporation, both in internal audit and helping build a tech-enabled integrated risk management solution. He also worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, advising clients on the evaluation, purchase, implementation, and process development of risk and GRC technology.