A virtual Chief Information Security Officer is an outsourced executive who sets security strategy, policies, and governance without the cost of hiring a full-time CISO.

How long does SOC 2 readiness take?

Typical SOC 2 readiness engagements take 6–12 months depending on maturity and remediation needs.

Do you provide managed detection and response?

FWS partners with MDR/MSSP providers and offers managed security services and vendor-managed detection options as part of our ongoing programs.

Does Framework Security perform post-incident forensics?

Yes — we provide incident response and digital forensics to investigate root cause, scope, and remediation after breaches or ransomware.

What is SOC 2 and why would we need it?

SOC 2 is an independent audit that shows your company protects customer data using strong security and operational controls. Many enterprise customers make it a contract requirement before they’ll sign.

What is NIST CSF 2.0?

It’s a framework from NIST that organizes cybersecurity into six functions: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. It’s often used as a roadmap to measure maturity and prioritize improvements.

How do SOC 2 and NIST CSF fit together?

NIST CSF can guide how you build your security program; SOC 2 is the external attestation you can hand to customers. Companies often use both: CSF internally, SOC 2 for external proof.

If you don’t have senior security leadership but need to meet compliance requirements, manage risk, or respond to customer security reviews, a vCISO is a practical option.

What’s the difference between a vulnerability assessment, penetration test, and red team?

A vulnerability assessment is a broad scan for weaknesses. A penetration test is a scoped simulation where testers exploit issues to show real-world impact. A red team is a full adversary simulation, often across multiple attack paths, designed to test detection and response.

How often should we do security testing?

At least once a year and whenever systems change significantly. More frequent testing is recommended for internet-facing applications or regulated industries.

What happens if we fail a pentest?

There is no 'pass/fail.' You get a report showing vulnerabilities, their severity, and how to fix them. After remediation, a retest confirms the issues are closed.

Do you help with regulatory frameworks other than SOC 2?

Yes, common ones include CIS 18, NIST, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and others depending on your industry requirements.

Where do we start if we’re new to security programs?

Schedule a call with us to determine your organization’s best path forward.

What’s included in your vCISO packages?

Tiered options include governance, risk management, compliance roadmap, AI risk strategy, and quarterly QBRs. Each tier can bundle SOC 2 readiness and pentesting.

How fast can we achieve SOC 2 with Framework Security?

Timelines vary by maturity; many clients reach readiness in weeks and complete audits within a quarter when remediation items are addressed promptly.

Do you offer AI risk assessments?

Yes. We evaluate AI/ML use cases, data handling, third‑party/LLM risks, and control governance, and deliver a prioritized mitigation plan.

Best Practices for Healthcare Organizations and Beyond to Respond to DDoS Attacks

The Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) recently released updated guidance on how healthcare organizations should respond to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. As cyber threats escalate across critical infrastructure sectors, this advisory reinforces the importance of proactive cybersecurity strategy, real-time threat detection, and resilient network architecture.

While HC3 guidance focuses on healthcare systems, DDoS mitigation best practices are industry agnostic. Organizations across finance, manufacturing, technology, and government must prepare for increasingly sophisticated DDoS campaigns powered by automation, artificial intelligence, and large-scale botnets.

What Is a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack?

A DDoS attack occurs when threat actors flood a network, application, or server with excessive traffic to overwhelm resources and disrupt normal operations.

Modern DDoS attacks often leverage:

Massive botnets of compromised devices
IoT-based attack networks
AI-driven traffic amplification techniques
Cloud-based attack infrastructure
Politically motivated or financially motivated cybercrime groups

These attacks can disrupt:

Patient portals and electronic health records (EHR)
Cloud-based applications
Public-facing websites
APIs and digital services
Payment systems

In healthcare, DDoS attacks can directly impact patient care, operational continuity, and regulatory compliance.

DDoS Protection Within Major Cybersecurity Frameworks

DDoS mitigation is addressed across several widely adopted cybersecurity standards and risk management frameworks.

NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)

The NIST CSF outlines guidance across five core functions:

Identify: Asset inventory and risk assessment
Protect: Network segmentation and boundary defense
Detect: Continuous monitoring and anomaly detection
Respond: Incident response planning
Recover: Business continuity and disaster recovery

DDoS protection aligns particularly with network security controls, real-time monitoring, and resilience planning.

ISO/IEC 27001

ISO 27001 requires organizations to implement and maintain an Information Security Management System (ISMS). Controls relevant to DDoS mitigation include:

Network security management
Capacity management
Supplier and third-party risk oversight
Incident response readiness
Continuous improvement processes

CIS Critical Security Controls

CIS Control 12 emphasizes boundary defense, including:

Firewall configuration
Intrusion detection and prevention systems
Traffic filtering
Network segmentation
Monitoring external connections

These controls are essential for mitigating DDoS attack vectors.

Key Recommendations for DDoS Mitigation

1. Strengthen Security Hygiene and Monitoring

Proactive cybersecurity hygiene is foundational.

Organizations should implement:

Continuous network traffic monitoring
AI-powered anomaly detection systems
Real-time log analysis
Automated threat intelligence feeds
Regular vulnerability assessments

Rate-based detection alone is insufficient. Behavioral analytics and machine learning models provide stronger detection of abnormal traffic patterns.

Advanced traffic filtering solutions can redirect malicious traffic to a sinkhole or scrubbing center before it overwhelms production systems.

2. Deploy DDoS Mitigation Services and Redundancy

Cloud-based DDoS protection services can absorb large-scale volumetric attacks. Organizations should consider:

Content delivery networks (CDNs)
Cloud-based scrubbing services
Load balancing systems
Redundant infrastructure
Alternate DNS providers

High-availability architecture strengthens cyber resilience and business continuity.

3. Avoid Counterattacks

Attempting to retaliate against botnets or attackers can create legal and operational risks. Offensive countermeasures are not recommended.

Instead, organizations should focus on:

Defensive mitigation
Incident containment
Forensic investigation
Regulatory reporting

Cybersecurity governance should align with legal and compliance standards.

4. Implement Robust Incident Response Planning

Every organization should maintain a documented incident response plan that includes:

Defined escalation procedures
Executive communication protocols
Regulatory notification workflows
Technical containment steps
Post-incident review processes

Tabletop exercises and simulated DDoS attack drills improve preparedness.

5. Strengthen Zero Trust and Network Segmentation

Zero trust architecture reduces lateral movement risk and limits blast radius during an attack.

Best practices include:

Micro-segmentation of critical systems
Role-based access controls
Strict identity verification
Continuous authentication

Network segmentation ensures that a DDoS event targeting one service does not compromise the entire infrastructure.

The Role of AI and Automation in DDoS Defense

Modern DDoS attacks are increasingly automated and adaptive. Artificial intelligence and machine learning enhance defensive capabilities by:

Identifying emerging traffic patterns
Blocking malicious IP clusters
Dynamically adjusting rate limits
Predicting attack escalation
Reducing false positives

AI-driven cybersecurity tools improve both detection speed and mitigation accuracy.

DDoS Attacks and Enterprise Risk Management

DDoS protection is not solely a technical issue—it is a business continuity and enterprise risk management concern.

Organizations must evaluate:

Impact on service availability
Regulatory implications
Reputational damage
Financial exposure
Third-party dependency risk

Executive leadership and boards should receive regular reporting on availability risk metrics and resilience posture.

Building a Resilient Cybersecurity Posture

DDoS attacks remain a persistent threat across industries. The combination of advanced botnets, AI-enabled attack automation, and geopolitical cyber activity makes proactive defense essential.

Organizations that integrate:

Real-time monitoring
AI-powered threat detection
Cloud-based mitigation services
Strong governance frameworks
Continuous risk assessment

are significantly better positioned to maintain operational continuity during an attack.

While HC3 guidance specifically supports healthcare systems, the principles apply universally across critical infrastructure and enterprise environments.

If your organization is evaluating its DDoS preparedness or strengthening its cybersecurity framework alignment with NIST, ISO 27001, or CIS Controls, proactive strategy and implementation are essential to reducing cyber risk and maintaining service availability.