Our Mission: Achieve CIS Controls IG1 Compliance in 90 Days

πŸ“¦ Scope:

  • 56 Safeguards across 18 CIS Controls (IG1 subset)

  • No IG2/IG3 components

  • On-prem, cloud, or hybrid environments


🧠 Roles Involved

Role Responsibility Source
Project Manager (PM) Timeline, coordination, reporting BizCare
Compliance Officer (CO) Interpretation of controls, policy lead BizCare
IT Administrator (ITA) Infra configuration, patching, endpoint control BizCare
Security Engineer (SE) Technical safeguards, logging, alerting BizCare
Help Desk Lead (HDL) User support and access management BizCare
Internal Auditor (IA) Validates implementation & evidence Client
Executive Sponsor (ES) Authorizes decisions, allocates resources Client

🧱 Work Breakdown Structure by Phase (Days 1–90)


Phase 1: Project Planning & Scoping (Days 1–5)

Task Role Description
Define scope: business units, infra, users PM, CO What’s covered under IG1
Assign control ownership PM RACI for each safeguard
Schedule milestone reviews PM Week 3, 6, 9 checkpoints
Identify tools to use CO, SE EDR, AV, logging, etc.

Phase 2: Asset & Software Inventory (Days 6–15)

CIS Control 01 & 02

Task Role Description
Create asset inventory (hardware) ITA CMDB or spreadsheet
Document authorized software list ITA, CO Whitelist of approved apps
Deploy inventory tool SE Agent or network-based scanner
Verify asset/software coverage IA Sampling for gaps

Phase 3: Access & Identity Management (Days 10–25)

CIS Control 04 & 05

Task Role Description
Enforce MFA for remote users SE, ITA VPN, email, cloud apps
Remove unused user accounts ITA Monthly review baseline
Document roles and access policies CO RBAC standardization
Centralize user provisioning ITA, HDL Admin controls documented

Phase 4: Vulnerability & Patch Management (Days 15–30)

CIS Control 07, 08, 10

Task Role Description
Schedule vulnerability scans SE Monthly minimum
Enable automatic patching ITA OS + critical software
Patch all critical vulnerabilities within 30 days ITA, CO Evidence for audit
Document patching process CO SOPs and approvals

Phase 5: Data Protection & Backups (Days 20–35)

CIS Control 03 & 11

Task Role Description
Encrypt sensitive data in transit SE SSL/TLS enforcement
Establish automated backups ITA Cloud/local hybrid if needed
Test backup recovery ITA Monthly test simulation
Write backup policy CO Include RTO/RPO targets

Phase 6: Secure Configuration & App Controls (Days 25–45)

CIS Control 04, 06, 14

Task Role Description
Harden baseline system images SE Based on CIS benchmarks
Disable unused ports/services ITA Firewall & endpoint configs
Restrict admin privileges ITA, CO Least privilege applied
Deploy application allowlisting SE Where feasible for IG1

Phase 7: Incident Response & Monitoring (Days 40–60)

CIS Control 09, 12, 17

Task Role Description
Create an IR Plan CO Simple playbook, contact tree
Enable log collection SE From servers, endpoints, critical apps
Configure alerts for key events SE Unauthorized access, malware detection
Train staff on IR procedures HDL, CO Email phishing, escalation, etc.

Phase 8: Security Awareness & Training (Days 45–65)

CIS Control 14 & 17

Task Role Description
Launch cybersecurity training CO For all users, testable format
Phishing simulations (optional IG1+) SE Gauge readiness
Track and report participation PM Evidence for audit

Phase 9: Final Audit & Documentation (Days 60–80)

Task Role Description
Gather evidence for all controls IA, CO Screenshots, logs, policies
Perform internal audit IA Validate against IG1 checklist
Remediate any late gaps SE, ITA High-priority fixes only
Document exceptions (if any) CO Risk-accepted deviations

Phase 10: Executive Review & Certification (Days 80–90)

Task Role Description
Present compliance report PM, CO Summary of safeguards implemented
Approve compliance status ES Sign-off or defer to future
Finalize policy & procedure documents CO Archive for audits
Define plan for continuous compliance PM, CO Post-90 day roadmap

🧾 Key Deliverables by Day 90:

  • βœ… CIS IG1 Implementation Matrix

  • βœ… Asset & Software Inventories

  • βœ… Patch Logs & Scanning Reports

  • βœ… Policies (Access, Backup, IR, Training)

  • βœ… IR Plan & Training Records

  • βœ… Executive Sign-Off Sheet