Welcome to NERC/CIP Compliance Management Tool

Our Compliance Management platform enables organizations to manage, prioritize, audit and comply with NERC CIP and other Security requirements.


NKSoft NERC/CIP Compliance Management Tool

 

Our NERC/CIP Compliance Management tool combines requirements, process, procedures, security, best practices, and content to help you simplify and enhance compliance with NERC reliability standards, including NERC 693 and NERC CIP. The tool streamlines NERC compliance processes, while automating manually-intensive workflows. The tool also provides a collection of NERC standards, as well risk and control libraries, control tests and procedures, and reporting templates. Graphical dashboards provide compliance insights that guide and support decision-making at the highest levels of the organization.

Pre Loaded Standards

Our Solution is preconfigured with over 30 NERC CIP data-driven evidence reports and oversight & issue management dashboards (CIP and 693).

Work Flow and Process Diven

NERC/CIP uses process-driven compliance and closed-loop controls to enforce compliance, streamline work, and build the “stack” of evidence to meet all aspects of each NERC/CIP Version 5 Requirement.

Built-In Document Management

Built-in Document Management handles all evidence file types and relates them to all relevant NERC/CIP Requirements without creating copies; ensuring a single source of truth for all evidence.

 Closed-Loop Control Framework

NERC/CIP’s Closed-Loop Control Framework validates critical compliance data; including Ports and Services, Patches, Security Controls, Local Accounts, Logical Access Rights and Physical Access Rights.

Audit Package Generation

One-Click RSAW and Audit Package generation streamlines the audit readiness process and ensures compliance packages are properly completed with all supporting evidence built into each package generated.

Reduce the Time Spent

Dramatically reduce the time spent on compliance with advanced automation, work simplification, and best practice compliance processes.

Security Challenges and Our Services

 

Challenges of NERC CIP Compliance

Complexity and High Costs of Compliance

The NERC Reliability Standards include 94 mandatory sub-standards and over 1,000 individual requirements.  In addition, many of these requirements are constantly changing, and new recommendations are often introduced. This complexity makes efforts towards compliance extremely difficult.

For example, as companies prepare for the transition to the NERC CIP version 5 Standard, they must constantly keep themselves updated on the changes introduced in this new version. Certainly, adopting NERC CIP version 5 implies the redesign and alteration of existing policies and procedures documentation to capture important new requirements and enforce the same across the organization. Undoubtedly, this is a laborious and resource-intensive process.

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Problems with Manual Processes

Many organizations rely on manual compliance tracking processes to record audit control assessments, prepare reports, and implement performance measures. Maintaining diverse manual processes complicates compliance preparation, and trying to update multiple spreadsheets, databases, e-mail chains, and content management sites will create an  unnecessary burden on manpower and increase costs which will ultimately increase the potential for errors.

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Duplication of Compliance Activities

Many companies manage their compliance tasks and control assessments in functional or organizational silos. As a result, collaboration across the organization is limited, leading to inconsistencies in compliance data. Again, costs are increased while compliance status metrics are unclear or redundant.

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Limited View of Compliance

Clear visibility into NERC compliance data is essential to track the progress of controls and define compliance strategies. Yet, most companies lack true visibility because they lack a unified reporting system and, instead, rely on ad hoc manual processes. Consolidating reports at the enterprise level is a complex and time-consuming task, and viewing granular data can prove to be extremely difficult. One common erroneous oversight often experienced due to the absence of a holistic view of compliance requirements is that as the compliance activity is a periodic, one-time event as against a culture of continuous, organization-wide monitoring effort.

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Extensive Documentation

To ensure NERC compliance, Responsible Entities have to manage volumes in the relevant documentation. From documents accurately interpreting NERC Standards to Reliability Standards Audit Worksheets (RSAWs) to detailed internal policies and technical procedures, the amount of information that must be organized for relevance and applicability across the varying assets under scrutiny makes the task of evidence documentation very arduous and daunting.  It takes significant time and effort to sift through the documentation and find the appropriate controls in order to link these controls to the corresponding compliance standards and requirements putting one’s best foot forward during an audit engagement is the key to success. Bridging the gap between what entities have documented and actually demonstrating proven, tangible evidence of implementation is crucial to passing an audit. Audit evidence must be documented in such a comprehensive manner that it covers mandatory requirements and shows proof that a regulatory control has been thoroughly tested and in place while also being representative of the current operational status of the organizations.

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Task Management Complexities

Compliance audits generate a number of tasks that must be assigned to the appropriate Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). These tasks range from internally assessing and monitoring controls to identifying and resolving issues as soon as they are discovered. Without an integrated and automated task management system, companies face greater difficulties in maintaining a sustainable and closed-loop compliance program.

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We are Here to Help



Compliance Management Consulting Services 

NKSoft provides NERC CIP compliance consulting services specializing in the protection of critical cyber infrastructures used throughout the electrical utility industry. NKSoft has unparalleled experience assisting electrical utilities who seek to assess, build, or maintain their NERC CIP compliance programs.


NERC CIP Version 5 Gap Analysis

NKSoft began conducting NERC CIP Version 5 Gap Analyses since late 2013 and is able to perform a gap assessment under the circumstance of certain aspects of the Version 5 Standards still being subject to change. Our regular attendance at the 2014 SDT 791 meetings has kept us apprised of potential Standard changes and better suits us to perform projections during the Gap Assessment.


NERC CIP Compliance Assessment (CIP-002 – CIP-009)

NKSoft has proprietary tool NERCCIPAudit Management builds on PMP methodology to help electrical utilities to identify gaps for compliance with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) CIP-002 – CIP-009 Cyber Security Standards. We provide these electrical utilities with a NERC Cyber Security road map that includes prioritized recommendations for risk reduction and compliance with these standards. prepare your organization for their NERC CIP Compliance Audit. Our experts will visit your organization and simulate your NERC CIP Compliance Audit environment in preparation for your audit. Yes, our services include NERC CIP Version 5 as well as NERC CIP Version 3!


NERC CIP Vulnerability Assessment

NKSoft will help you to comply with the NERC CIP Vulnerability Assessment requirements through a time-proven methodology that we have applied to many electrical utilities.


NERC CIP RSAW Development

NKSoft will assist your organization with the development of the NERC CIP RSAW’s to prove substantial compliance during your NERC Audit.


NERC CIP-009 Recovery Planning

NKSoft will work with your organization to help you to develop your NERC CIP-009 Recovery Plan.


NERC CIP Compliance Gap Remediation 

Once the NERC CIP Compliance Assessment is complete, NKSoft has the expertise and experience necessary to assist Responsible Entities with both the planning and execution phases of their gap remediation projects. Tasks include Critical Asset and Critical Cyber Asset Identification, Cyber Security Policy Development, Security Perimeter Design, Access Control Design, and System Security.


NERC CIP Mock Audit

NKSoft will prepare your organization for their NERC CIP Audit. Our experts will visit your organization and simulate your NERC CIP Audit environment in preparation for your audit.


NERC CIP Audit Prep – SME Coaching

NKSoft will with your team to prepare you for an audit. The workshop is performed by trained NERC CIP compliance auditors and helps you to know what to expect during an audit, what to do and not do during an audit.


NERC CIP Culture of Compliance – Security Awareness Program

NKSoft endeavors to invest the time, on-going research and top-level effort into developing a security awareness program that is modular yet well-rounded, specific yet engaging, actionable and ultimately effective.


More Information:

If you are interested in learning more about NKSoft and how our experts may be able to help you overcome your NERC CIP Compliance challenges, please  submit a Request Form  and we will send you additional information.


Latest News

 

19 Aug

NREL (U.S. Government DOE Renewable Energy Lab) Webinar: Managing Critical Infrastructure using NKSoft Tool

John Chowdhury was invited by NREL to present the challenges of NERC CIP v5 compliance requirements and how Electric Transmission and Distribution companies  can utilize the management framework developed by NKSoft to manage the security compliance to protect bulk power systems against cybersecurity compromises that could lead to operational failures or instability.  
John discussed the following topics:

1.      Measuring NERC CIP adherence
2.      One size does not fit all:  NERC CIP enforcement to fit your organization’s risk priorities.
3.      Use the Case Management to manage the progress and compliance
4.      Enabling forensic investigations for the incident response activities
5.      How to demonstrate compliance
6.      Managing risk
7 .      Reporting

You can listen to the presentation by clicking the link above or request the presentation by emailing to: john@nksoft.com

 12 April

NREC CIP 3, 4 and 5 Mapping to SANS TOP 20 Critical Controls

NERC CIP Version 3, 4 and 5 is mapped to SANS TOP 20 Critical Controls.Our solution is pre-configured with the Mapping but if you like to receive a copy of the Excel Mapping Worksheet, please email to support@nerccipaudit.net and we will gladly send you a copy.

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17 Mar

NERC/CIP: Requirements > Compliance > Audit > Workflow Tool

US Government’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) mandates The NERC CIP (North American Electric Reliability Corporation critical infrastructure protection) plan. Which are set of requirements designed to secure the assets required for operating North America’s bulk electric system. This is a must security standard now being adopted for all critical…

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  Call us at 214-584-6267