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GOV-01.3: Commitment To Continual Improvements

GOV 7 — High Govern

Mechanisms exist to commit appropriate resources needed for continual improvement of the organization's cybersecurity and data protection program, including: (1) Staffing; (2) Budget; (3) Processes; and (4) Technologies.

Control Question: Does the organization commit appropriate resources needed for continual improvement of the organization's cybersecurity and data protection program, including: (1) Staffing; (2) Budget; (3) Processes; and (4) Technologies?

General (1)
Framework Mapping Values
ISO 27701 2025 10.1 5.1 9.3.3
EMEA (1)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA EU NIS2 Annex 1.1.1(d) 1.1.1(e)

Capability Maturity Model

Level 0 — Not Performed

There is no evidence of a capability to commit appropriate resources needed for continual improvement of the organization's cybersecurity and data protection program, including: (1) Staffing; (2) Budget; (3) Processes; and (4) Technologies.

Level 1 — Performed Informally

C|P-CMM1 is N/A, since a structured process is required to commit appropriate resources needed for continual improvement of the organization's cybersecurity and data protection program, including: (1) Staffing; (2) Budget; (3) Processes; and (4) Technologies.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Cybersecurity & Privacy Governance (GOV) efforts are requirements-driven and governed at a local/regional level, but are not consistent across the organization. CMM Level 2 control maturity would reasonably expect all, or at least most, the following criteria to exist:

  • Cybersecurity and data protection governance activities are decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices.
  • IT/cybersecurity personnel identify cybersecurity and data protection controls that are appropriate to address applicable statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements for cybersecurity and data protection governance activities.
  • The Chief Information Officer (CIO), or similar function, analyzes the organization's business strategy and prioritizes the objectives of the security function, based on business requirements.
  • A qualified individual is assigned the role and responsibilities to centrally manage, coordinate, develop, implement and maintain a cybersecurity and data protection program (e.g., cybersecurity director or Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)).
  • No formal Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team exists. GRC roles are assigned to existing cybersecurity personnel.
  • Compliance requirements for cybersecurity and data protection are identified and documented.
  • Cybersecurity policies and standards exist that are aligned with a leading cybersecurity framework (e.g., SCF, NIST 800-53, ISO 27002 or NIST Cybersecurity Framework).
  • Controls are assigned to sensitive/regulated assets to comply with specific compliance requirements.
  • Procedures are established for sensitive/regulated obligations, but are not standardized across the organization.
  • Documentation is made available to internal personnel.
Level 3 — Well Defined

Cybersecurity & Privacy Governance (GOV) efforts are standardized across the organization and centrally managed, where technically feasible, to ensure consistency. CMM Level 3 control maturity would reasonably expect all, or at least most, the following criteria to exist:

  • Statutory, regulatory and contractual compliance requirements for cybersecurity and data protection are identified and documented. Recurring testing is utilized to assess adherence to internal standards and/or external compliance requirements.
  • A Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) function, or similar function, provides scoping guidance to determine control applicability.
  • Internal policies and standards address all statutory, regulatory and contractual obligations for cybersecurity and data protection.
  • Controls are standardized across the organization to ensure uniformity and consistent execution.
  • Corporate governance (executive oversight) exists for the cybersecurity and data protection, which includes regular briefings to ensure executives have sufficient situational awareness to properly govern the organization.
  • Procedures are established for sensitive/regulated compliance obligations that are standardized across the organization.
  • Defined roles & responsibilities require data/process owners to define, implement and maintain cybersecurity and data protection controls for each system, application and/ or service of which they have accountability.
  • The organization designates one or more qualified individuals to govern the cybersecurity and data protection programs (e.g., Chief Information Security Officer or Chief Privacy Officer).
  • Risk management processes are defined, to include materiality considerations.
Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled

See C|P-CMM3. There are no defined C|P-CMM4 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a quantitatively-controlled process is not necessary to commit appropriate resources needed for continual improvement of the organization's cybersecurity and data protection program, including: (1) Staffing; (2) Budget; (3) Processes; and (4) Technologies.

Level 5 — Continuously Improving

See C|P-CMM4. There are no defined C|P-CMM5 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a continuously-improving process is not necessary to commit appropriate resources needed for continual improvement of the organization's cybersecurity and data protection program, including: (1) Staffing; (2) Budget; (3) Processes; and (4) Technologies.

Assessment Objectives

  1. GOV-01.3_A01 the organization commits appropriate financial resources needed for continual improvement of the organization's cybersecurity & data privacy program.

Technology Recommendations

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