The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has released the fourth version of the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF v4.0) to help essential service providers enhance their cyber risk management and resilience. The updated framework enables structured assessments—either conducted internally or by regulators or NCSC-approved external bodies—and reflects the urgency of evolving cyber threats. It introduces four key enhancements: fostering a deeper understanding of attacker methods and motivations to improve risk decision-making; embedding secure software development and maintenance practices; advancing security monitoring and threat hunting capabilities; and expanding the assessment of AI-related cyber risks.

CAF v4.0 continues to prioritize outcome-based evaluation over simplistic checklists, aligning with NCSC’s core principles of security and resilience. It remains sector-agnostic but flexible enough to accommodate sector-specific adjustments when necessary. Its adoption has already broadened significantly, now being used by nearly all UK cyber regulators as well as the GovAssure scheme. The update encourages organizations responsible for critical national infrastructure—across energy, healthcare, transport, digital infrastructure, and government—to move beyond compliance and embrace proactive, risk-informed cybersecurity strategies.

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Source: https://industrialcyber.co/regulation-standards-and-compliance/uks-ncsc-publishes-caf-v4-0-to-boost-critical-infrastructure-defenses-raise-cyber-risk-management-standards/