How to create NIST CSF organizational profiles using AI

Overview

You'll learn how to create comprehensive NIST CSF Organizational Profiles—both Current and Target—using AI to assess your cybersecurity posture, prioritize improvements, and communicate effectively with stakeholders.

Who this is for

This guide is for:

• Security teams developing NIST CSF implementation roadmaps

• Risk managers documenting organizational cybersecurity posture

• Compliance professionals creating audit-ready CSF documentation

• Executives seeking clear cybersecurity status reporting

• Consultants building client-specific NIST CSF Profiles

Before you begin

You should have:

• An ISMS Copilot account with a dedicated NIST CSF workspace

• Completed organizational context analysis (stakeholders, risks, requirements)

• Access to existing security documentation and control implementations

• Understanding of your organization's risk appetite and tolerance

• Stakeholder input on business priorities and compliance drivers

Understanding NIST CSF Organizational Profiles

What Organizational Profiles accomplish

An Organizational Profile is a structured representation of your organization's cybersecurity posture expressed in terms of NIST CSF Core outcomes. Profiles serve multiple purposes:

• Assessment: Document which CSF outcomes you're currently achieving and to what extent

• Planning: Define target outcomes aligned with risk priorities and business objectives

• Gap identification: Compare current vs. target to prioritize improvement initiatives

• Communication: Provide consistent language for discussing cybersecurity with executives, boards, customers, and regulators

• Supplier management: Express security expectations to third parties and vendors

• Progress tracking: Measure implementation advancement over time

Types of Profiles

Current Profile: Documents the cybersecurity outcomes your organization is currently achieving or attempting to achieve. This is your "as-is" state.

Target Profile: Describes the desired cybersecurity outcomes your organization has selected and prioritized for achieving risk management objectives. This is your "to-be" state.

Community Profile: A baseline Profile published by NIST or industry groups for specific sectors, use cases, or threat scenarios. Organizations can adopt Community Profiles as starting points for their Target Profiles.

Step 1: Scope your Organizational Profile

Defining Profile scope

Before creating a Profile, define its boundaries. A Profile can address:

• Entire organization: All assets, systems, and operations

• Business unit: Specific division, product line, or service

• Technology domain: Cloud infrastructure, OT systems, or mobile applications

• Threat scenario: Ransomware defense, insider threat mitigation, or supply chain security

• Compliance requirement: Federal contractor obligations or industry regulations

Using AI to define scope

In your NIST CSF workspace, ask ISMS Copilot:

1. Identify appropriate scope:

   "Help me define the scope for our first NIST CSF Organizational Profile. We're a [industry] organization with [size]. Our priorities are: [list priorities - e.g., 'federal contract compliance, customer security requirements, ransomware protection']. What scope makes sense for a 6-month initial implementation?"

2. Document scope statement:

   "Create a formal scope statement for our NIST CSF Organizational Profile. Include: business units covered, information assets in scope, technology environments (cloud, on-premise, SaaS), geographic locations, exclusions with justifications, and stakeholders."

3. Validate completeness:

   "Review this Profile scope [paste scope]. Identify: critical assets or processes potentially excluded, dependencies on out-of-scope systems, compliance risks from exclusions, and recommendations for scope adjustments."

Step 2: Gather information for Profile development

Information needed for Profiles

Effective Profile development requires inputs from across the organization:

Using AI to organize information gathering

1. Create information collection checklist:

   "Generate a comprehensive information collection checklist for developing NIST CSF Organizational Profiles. Organize by: GOVERN (policies, governance structure), IDENTIFY (asset inventories, risk assessments), PROTECT (access controls, training), DETECT (monitoring tools), RESPOND (incident plans), RECOVER (backup procedures). Include document types and responsible parties."

2. Map existing documentation:

   "I have the following security documentation: [list policies, procedures, tools]. Map each to NIST CSF 2.0 Functions and Categories, identifying which outcomes they support and documentation gaps."

3. Design stakeholder interviews:

   "Create interview questions for key stakeholders to gather NIST CSF Profile information. Stakeholders include: [CISO, IT Director, Compliance Manager, Business Unit Leaders]. Tailor questions to understand: implemented controls, known risks, compliance requirements, resource constraints."

Step 3: Create your Current Profile

Assessing current implementation

The Current Profile documents your organization's existing cybersecurity posture by evaluating implementation status for each relevant CSF outcome.

Assessment maturity levels

Rate each CSF Subcategory using a consistent scale:

• Not Implemented (0%): No controls or practices in place for this outcome

• Partially Implemented (1-49%): Some controls exist but significant gaps remain

• Largely Implemented (50-89%): Controls are in place but require optimization or full coverage

• Fully Implemented (90-100%): Comprehensive controls with documented evidence and regular review

• Not Applicable: Outcome doesn't apply to your organization or scope (document justification)

Using AI to build Current Profile

1. Generate Current Profile template:

   "Create a NIST CSF 2.0 Current Profile assessment template for a [organization description]. Include: all 6 Functions, 23 Categories, 106 Subcategories, implementation status column (Not Implemented/Partial/Largely/Full/N/A), evidence/notes column, control owner column, last assessed date."

2. Function-by-Function assessment:

   "Assess our current implementation of NIST CSF GOVERN Function. Our governance includes: [describe - e.g., 'quarterly risk committee, documented security policy approved by board, CISO reporting to CEO, annual third-party risk assessments']. For each GV Category and Subcategory, rate implementation status and identify supporting evidence."

3. Document analysis:

   Upload existing policies or control documentation and ask:

   "Analyze this [information security policy / access control procedure / incident response plan] and identify which NIST CSF 2.0 Subcategories it fully or partially addresses. Rate implementation level and identify gaps."

4. Technology stack mapping:

   "We use the following security technologies: [list tools - e.g., 'Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Okta SSO, AWS Security Hub, Splunk SIEM, Veeam backup']. Map each tool to NIST CSF Subcategories it supports, particularly in PROTECT and DETECT Functions."

5. Identify baseline strengths:

   "Based on our Current Profile assessment, identify our strongest cybersecurity capabilities—CSF Subcategories rated Largely or Fully Implemented. Explain why these represent organizational strengths and how to leverage them."

Step 4: Develop your Target Profile

Defining desired outcomes

The Target Profile specifies which CSF outcomes your organization prioritizes for achieving cybersecurity risk management objectives. Target Profiles should:

• Address identified risks from risk assessments or threat intelligence

• Satisfy regulatory and contractual requirements

• Align with business objectives and risk tolerance

• Reflect available resources (budget, personnel, time)

• Consider anticipated changes (cloud migration, M&A, new products)

Using AI to build Target Profile

1. Risk-driven prioritization:

   "Help me develop a risk-based NIST CSF Target Profile. Our top cybersecurity risks are: [list risks with severity - e.g., 'ransomware (high), supply chain compromise (high), data breach (medium), DDoS (low)']. For each risk, identify the CSF Subcategories most critical for mitigation and recommend target implementation levels."

2. Compliance-driven requirements:

   "We must comply with [federal contractor requirements / CMMC Level 2 / state data protection laws / customer security mandates]. Which NIST CSF 2.0 Subcategories are mandatory for demonstrating compliance? Mark these as 'Fully Implemented' targets in our Target Profile."

3. Community Profile adaptation:

   "Review the NIST CSF [Small Business / Manufacturing / Supply Chain Security] Community Profile. Adapt it for our [organization description], considering our unique risks: [list]. Adjust target implementation levels and add/remove Subcategories as appropriate."

4. Resource-constrained targeting:

   "We have a security budget of [amount] and a team of [number]. Create a realistic 18-month Target Profile prioritizing: must-have outcomes (compliance, critical risks), should-have outcomes (important but not urgent), and could-have outcomes (nice to have). Phase targets across three 6-month periods."

5. Tier-aligned targeting:

   "We currently operate at NIST CSF Tier 2 and aspire to Tier 3 within 24 months. Develop a Target Profile that supports Tier 3 characteristics, focusing on: formalized policies, repeatable processes, organization-wide risk awareness, and consistent cybersecurity information sharing."

Step 5: Conduct gap analysis

Comparing Current vs. Target

Gap analysis identifies differences between your Current and Target Profiles, highlighting where implementation, improvement, or optimization is needed.

Using AI for comprehensive gap analysis

1. Generate gap report:

   "Compare my NIST CSF Current Profile [paste or attach] with my Target Profile [paste or attach]. For each gap (where Current < Target), provide: gap severity (Critical/High/Medium/Low), affected Subcategory, current vs. target state, risk exposure from gap, estimated effort to close, dependencies on other gaps."

2. Prioritize gaps:

   "Prioritize the identified NIST CSF gaps using the following criteria: 1) Risk severity (critical business risks first), 2) Compliance requirements (mandatory outcomes), 3) Implementation effort (quick wins), 4) Dependencies (foundational capabilities needed by other controls). Create a prioritized remediation backlog."

3. Quick win identification:

   "From the gap analysis, identify 'low-hanging fruit'—CSF Subcategories where we're Partially Implemented and can reach Largely/Fully Implemented with minimal effort (< 2 weeks, < $5,000). Prioritize these for immediate action to build momentum."

4. High-impact gaps:

   "Identify the highest-impact gaps—Critical severity gaps affecting multiple business functions or regulatory requirements. For each, explain: specific risk exposure, potential business impact, recommended controls to implement, estimated timeline and budget."

5. Dependency mapping:

   "Map dependencies between NIST CSF gaps. For example, implementing DETECT outcomes requires IDENTIFY outcomes (asset visibility), and RESPOND depends on DETECT (anomaly detection). Create an implementation sequence that respects dependencies."

Step 6: Create action plan and roadmap

Translating gaps into projects

Convert your prioritized gap analysis into executable projects with clear deliverables, timelines, and accountability.

Using AI to build implementation roadmap

1. Generate project roadmap:

   "Convert the prioritized NIST CSF gap analysis into a 12-month implementation roadmap. Organize by quarter: Q1 (critical gaps), Q2 (high-priority gaps), Q3 (medium-priority gaps), Q4 (optimization). For each quarter, list: Subcategories to address, implementation projects, milestones, resource requirements, success metrics."

2. Detailed project plans:

   "For NIST CSF Subcategory [GV.SC-02: Suppliers are known and prioritized by criticality], create a detailed project plan including: current state, target state, scope, implementation steps (1-2 week increments), roles and responsibilities (RACI), technology/tools required, success criteria, testing/validation approach, timeline with dependencies."

3. Resource planning:

   "Estimate resource requirements for our NIST CSF implementation roadmap. Include: personnel hours by role (security engineer, compliance analyst, IT admin), software/tool costs, consulting/training expenses, infrastructure investments. Organize by quarter and identify budget approval requirements."

4. Risk register creation:

   "Create a risk register for our NIST CSF implementation project. Identify risks such as: resource constraints, technology integration challenges, stakeholder resistance, budget cuts, competing priorities. For each risk, provide: likelihood, impact, mitigation strategy, contingency plan."

Step 7: Assign CSF Tiers to Profiles

Understanding Tier application

CSF Tiers characterize the rigor of cybersecurity risk governance and management practices. Applying Tiers to Profiles provides context for how your organization manages cybersecurity risks.

Using AI for Tier assessment

1. Assess current Tier:

   "Assess our organization's current NIST CSF Tier based on our Current Profile. Our governance practices include: [describe governance - e.g., 'ad hoc risk discussions, informal security policies, limited cross-organizational awareness']. Our risk management practices include: [describe - e.g., 'reactive incident response, irregular vulnerability scanning, siloed security tools']. Determine if we're Tier 1, 2, 3, or 4 and explain why."

2. Define target Tier:

   "Based on our industry [industry], regulatory requirements [regulations], and business objectives [objectives], recommend an appropriate target NIST CSF Tier. Explain the characteristics we need to develop for Tier progression and whether higher Tiers align with our risk tolerance and resources."

3. Tier progression roadmap:

   "We're currently Tier 2 (Risk Informed) and want to reach Tier 3 (Repeatable) in 18 months. Create a progression roadmap detailing: governance improvements needed, risk management formalization, policy development, cross-organizational awareness initiatives, cybersecurity information sharing processes. Map to specific GOVERN Function Subcategories."

4. Tier justification:

   "Create an executive briefing justifying our target NIST CSF Tier 3. Include: business benefits (improved risk management, customer confidence, regulatory compliance), required investments (policy development, training, technology), timeline, comparison with peer organizations, and risks of remaining at current Tier."

Step 8: Document and communicate Profiles

Creating stakeholder-appropriate documentation

Different audiences need different Profile presentations:

• Executive summary: High-level Current vs. Target, key gaps, investment needs, business impact

• Board reporting: Risk posture, Tier progression, alignment with business strategy, oversight metrics

• Technical teams: Detailed Subcategory assessments, control implementations, project roadmaps

• Audit/compliance: Evidence mapping, regulatory alignment, gap remediation tracking

• Suppliers/customers: Target Profile requirements, security expectations, assessment criteria

Using AI to create Profile documentation

1. Executive summary:

   "Create a 2-page executive summary of our NIST CSF Organizational Profiles for the Board. Include: current cybersecurity posture (Current Profile summary), target state and business alignment (Target Profile objectives), top 5 critical gaps with business impact, investment requirements, timeline, and expected risk reduction. Use business language, not technical jargon."

2. Visual representations:

   "Create visual representations of our NIST CSF Profiles: 1) Heat map showing Current vs. Target by Category, 2) Spider/radar chart comparing implementation across six Functions, 3) Gap prioritization matrix (effort vs. impact), 4) Implementation timeline (Gantt chart view). Provide format suitable for presentations."

3. Detailed Profile document:

   "Generate a comprehensive NIST CSF Organizational Profile document including: Table of Contents, Executive Summary, Organizational Context, Scope Definition, Current Profile (all Subcategories with evidence), Target Profile (with justifications), Gap Analysis, Action Plan, Tier Assessment, Appendices (evidence references, glossary). Format for audit/compliance purposes."

4. Supplier requirements:

   "Convert our Target Profile into supplier/vendor cybersecurity requirements. For critical NIST CSF Subcategories [list priority Subcategories], create: plain-language requirement statements, evidence/documentation vendors must provide, assessment questions, acceptable implementation approaches, scoring criteria for vendor risk assessments."

Step 9: Maintain and update Profiles

Profile lifecycle management

Organizational Profiles aren't static documents—they evolve as your organization, risks, and regulatory landscape change.

Using AI for Profile maintenance

1. Schedule review cadence:

   "Create a NIST CSF Profile maintenance schedule. Recommend: full Profile review frequency (annual, semi-annual?), trigger events requiring Profile updates (major incidents, regulatory changes, M&A, new products), mini-assessments for specific Functions, responsibilities, and documentation requirements."

2. Progress tracking:

   "Design a progress tracking mechanism for our NIST CSF Target Profile. Include: KPIs for implementation progress (% Subcategories achieved), metrics for each Function, quarterly milestone checks, variance analysis (actual vs. planned), escalation triggers for delayed projects."

3. Continuous improvement:

   "Based on our completed NIST CSF projects [list completed initiatives], update our Current Profile to reflect new implementations. For each closed gap, document: final implementation status, controls deployed, evidence location, control owner, next review date. Identify new gaps created by business changes."

Next steps

You've now developed comprehensive NIST CSF Organizational Profiles:

• ✓ Profile scope defined

• ✓ Information gathered from stakeholders

• ✓ Current Profile documenting existing capabilities

• ✓ Target Profile prioritizing desired outcomes

• ✓ Gap analysis identifying improvement areas

• ✓ Action plan and roadmap for implementation

• ✓ Tiers assigned to contextualize governance rigor

• ✓ Stakeholder documentation created

Continue your NIST CSF implementation:

• How to implement NIST CSF 2.0 core functions using AI - Function-specific implementation guidance

• How to map NIST CSF 2.0 to other frameworks using AI - Multi-framework integration

Getting help

• Profile templates: Download NIST's Organizational Profile templates in Excel and JSON formats

• Community Profiles: Browse sector-specific Community Profiles for baseline Target Profiles

• Quick Start Guide: Review NIST's Profile Quick Start Guide for detailed methodology

• Ask ISMS Copilot: Use your workspace for ongoing Profile development questions and refinement

• Verify outputs: Always cross-reference AI-generated Profiles with official NIST CSF resources