The Role of CIOs and CISOs in Driving NIST Compliance Through Technology Asset Management
By: Jon Davis
Ensuring your organization meets the standards of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework is more important than ever. With growing cyber threats and tighter regulations, CIOs and CISOs are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change. By aligning IT Asset Management (ITAM) with NIST standards, they can help create a strong culture of security and compliance, while boosting operational efficiency.
Why NIST Compliance Matters for Modern Businesses
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) offers best practices to help organizations manage and reduce cybersecurity risks. It creates a shared understanding among teams and partners, making it easier to tackle critical vulnerabilities.
88% of organizations say the NIST Cybersecurity Framework is “very” or “extremely” helpful in improving their overall security posture, according to a joint study by IBM and the Center for Cybersecurity and Education.
For businesses, NIST standards impact security, compliance, and regulatory requirements in areas like data protection, threat management, and incident response.
ITAM is crucial for making this work. By keeping track of all tech assets—hardware, software, and data—you gain visibility into risks, prevent unauthorized access, and fix vulnerabilities.
The Ponemon Institute found that 56% of data breaches involved untracked or unmonitored assets—a direct result of weak IT asset management.
Without strong ITAM, compliance efforts can quickly fall apart due to outdated systems or unpatched software, leading to breaches or penalties.
The CIO’s Role: Strategically Aligning ITAM with NIST Compliance
CIOs are responsible for managing the company’s IT strategy, including aligning ITAM with NIST guidelines. This involves planning ITAM processes to meet NIST standards and ensuring assets are accounted for and up-to-date.
Automation is key for CIOs. Automated asset tracking and reporting tools simplify the compliance process by providing real-time insights into IT assets. These tools help you see the full picture of your security posture, making it easier to spot gaps and ensure compliance with NIST standards.
According to Gartner, by 2026, 70% of organizations with mature automation in ITAM will report 25% faster audit preparation cycles compared to those relying on manual tracking.
Collaboration is essential. CIOs must work closely with security, IT, and compliance teams to ensure cybersecurity efforts align with broader business goals. A team effort ensures that everyone works toward the same goal: keeping the organization secure and compliant.
The CISO’s Role: Building Security into IT Asset Management
While CIOs focus on strategy, CISOs ensure that security measures are integrated into ITAM. Their job is to implement controls that protect assets and reduce risks from cyberattacks.
CISOs must ensure that asset inventories are accurate, up-to-date, and regularly monitored for vulnerabilities. Automated tools can detect outdated systems and software, helping reduce exposure to cyber threats.
Gartner reports that 60% of organizations that lack real-time asset visibility will experience a material cybersecurity incident by 2026.
CISOs also play a key role in incident response. Full visibility into assets enables them to quickly detect threats and coordinate responses, ensuring alignment with NIST functions like Detect, Respond, and Recover. This helps security teams identify compromised assets, isolate vulnerabilities, and mitigate damage.
Building a Collaborative Culture of Security and Compliance
NIST compliance requires collaboration across the organization. CIOs and CISOs need to foster a culture where security is everyone’s responsibility, with teamwork between IT, security, finance, and compliance teams.
A study by ISACA found that 72% of high-performing organizations embed security awareness into all operational teams, resulting in more successful compliance and fewer incidents.
Training and awareness programs ensure employees understand their role in cybersecurity. Regular updates on threats and best practices help embed security into daily operations.
Cross-team collaboration ensures cybersecurity initiatives support both NIST standards and broader business goals. Aligning security with business objectives helps CIOs and CISOs secure executive buy-in, making compliance a recognized driver of success.
Leveraging Technology for Seamless NIST Compliance
In today’s fast-paced IT landscape, manual processes aren’t enough. CIOs and CISOs must embrace automated ITAM solutions to maintain real-time visibility and streamline NIST compliance.
Automated ITAM tools make compliance easier by providing detailed tracking and reporting of assets in line with NIST standards. These tools help teams maintain accurate inventories, spot vulnerabilities, and ensure systems are patched—key elements of NIST functions like Identify and Protect.
Integrating ITAM with cybersecurity tools enhances asset protection, improves threat detection, and streamlines incident response. This makes it easier for teams to manage risks while staying compliant with NIST guidelines.
Overcoming Common Challenges in Aligning ITAM with NIST
CIOs and CISOs face common challenges in aligning ITAM with NIST standards. These include dealing with shadow IT (unapproved systems), unpatched systems, and lack of real-time visibility into assets.
Shadow IT accounts for up to 40% of technology spend in some organizations and often introduces significant security risk, according to McAfee.
Adopting asset discovery tools that automatically find and track devices and software can help solve these issues. Real-time monitoring and automation give CIOs and CISOs the visibility needed to address challenges and ensure compliance.
Securing stakeholder buy-in and managing budgets is also critical. CIOs and CISOs must work together to ensure ITAM and cybersecurity initiatives are properly funded and supported to drive compliance efforts.
Leading the Way Toward NIST Compliance
CIOs and CISOs must lead the effort to align IT asset management with NIST standards. By embracing automation, fostering collaboration, and focusing on continuous improvement, they can ensure their organizations are well-prepared to meet compliance requirements, mitigate risks, and protect critical assets. A proactive, collaborative approach will not only help drive compliance but also build a more secure and resilient IT environment.
