Navigating India's Cybersecurity Guidance for Finance Organizations
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Elements of the CSCRF Framework
Cyber Resilience Goals and Cybersecurity Functions
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is responsible for regulating India’s security markets. In response to the growing reality and evolving nature of cybersecurity threats, SEBI introduced the Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience Framework (CSCRF) in August 2024 with the goal of strengthening the defense of the regulated entities (RE) under its charge.
SEBI’s CSCRF serves as a roadmap for financial organizations and sets out to establish uniform cybersecurity measures. Its stated objective is to, “address evolving cyber threats, to align industry standards, to encourage efficient audits, and to ensure compliance by SEBI REs. The CSCRF also sets out standard formats for reporting by REs.”
The CSCRF is part of a larger effort within India’s financial and technology sectors to increase the security and transparency of software development. For information about the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team’s (CERT-In) Technical Guidelines on SOFTWARE BILL OF MATERIALS, you can download Sonatype’s Executive Summary.
Elements of the CSCRF Framework
The framework integrates Cyber Resilience Goals with Cybersecurity Functions, further detailed into specific subsections:
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Cyber Resilience Goals: These outline the desired outcomes for REs to effectively manage and recover from cyber threats and include Anticipate, Withstand, Contain, Recover, and Evolve.
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Cybersecurity Functions: These represent the actions and processes implemented to achieve the resilience goals, which include Governance (GV), Identify (ID), Protect (PR), Detect (DA), Respond (RS), and Recover (RC).
Each function is then broken down into specific areas. For example:
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GV.OC (Organizational Context): Understanding the internal and external factors affecting the organization.
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GV.RR (Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities): Defining and assigning cybersecurity roles and responsibilities.
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GV.PO (Policy): Establishing cybersecurity policies.
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GV.OV (Oversight): Monitoring and reviewing cybersecurity practices.
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GV.RM (Risk Management): Identifying and managing cyber risks.
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GV.SC (Supply Chain Risk Management): Managing risks associated with third-party vendors.
The CSCRF includes 7 Cyber Resilience Goals and Cybersecurity Functions, which include:
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Cyber Resilience Goal: Anticipate | Cybersecurity Function: Governance
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Cyber Resilience Goal: Anticipate | Cybersecurity Function: Identify
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Cyber Resilience Goal: Anticipate | Cybersecurity Function: Protect
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Cyber Resilience Goal: Anticipate | Cybersecurity Function: Detect
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Cyber Resilience Goal: Withstand and Contain | Cybersecurity Function: Respond
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Cyber Resilience Goal: Recover | Cybersecurity Function: Recover
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Cyber Resilience Goal: Evolve
By aligning these components, the CSCRF ensures that REs have a structured approach to cybersecurity, enabling them to anticipate, withstand, contain, recover from, and evolve against cyber threats.
The number of laws, regulations, and frameworks emerging around the world on the topic of cybersecurity can be overwhelming. SEBI’s CSCRF is particularly thorough, and in this executive summary, we examine the key features of these guidelines and how Sonatype can help users comply.
1. Cyber Resilience ANTICIPATE | Cybersecurity function: GOVERNANCE
CSCRF Section |
CSCRF ID |
Sonatype Capabilities |
---|---|---|
GV.PO: POLICY Organizational cybersecurity policy is established, communicated, and enforced. |
1.3 |
Policy is a core feature of the Sonatype platform, and we support these functions through:
Covers Policies GV.PO.S1-5 |
ID.RA: Risk Assessment The cybersecurity risk to the organization, assets, and individuals is assessed and understood by the RE. |
1.4 |
Application Composition Reports, SBOMs, and Data Insights are key capabilities of the Sonatype platform and include:
Covers Standards GV.OV.S1-4 |
GV.RM: Risk Management The RE’s priorities, constraints, risk tolerance and risk appetite statements, assumptions and constraints are established, communicated, and used to support operational risk decisions. |
1.5 |
Application Composition Reports, SBOMs and Data Insights are key capabilities of the Sonatype platform and include:
Covers Standards GV.RM.S1-4 |
GV.SC: Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management The RE’s priorities, constraints, risk tolerance, and assumptions are established and used to support decisions associated with managing supply chain risks. The RE has established and implemented the processes to identify, assess and manage supply chain risks. |
1.6 |
The Sonatype platform in its entirety is a software supply chain management solution that allows broad control of third parties and continuous identification and evaluation through:
Covers Standards GV.SC.S1-8 |
CSCRF Section
GV.PO: POLICY Organizational cybersecurity policy is established, communicated, and enforced. |
ID.RA: Risk Assessment The cybersecurity risk to the organization, assets, and individuals is assessed and understood by the RE. |
GV.RM: Risk Management The RE’s priorities, constraints, risk tolerance and risk appetite statements, assumptions and constraints are established, communicated, and used to support operational risk decisions. |
GV.SC: Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management The RE’s priorities, constraints, risk tolerance, and assumptions are established and used to support decisions associated with managing supply chain risks. The RE has established and implemented the processes to identify, assess and manage supply chain risks. |
CSCRF ID
1.3 |
1.4 |
1.5 |
1.6 |
Sonatype Capabilities
Policy is a core feature of the Sonatype platform, and we support these functions through:
Covers Policies GV.PO.S1-5 |
Application Composition Reports, SBOMs, and Data Insights are key capabilities of the Sonatype platform and include:
Covers Standards GV.OV.S1-4 |
Application Composition Reports, SBOMs and Data Insights are key capabilities of the Sonatype platform and include:
Covers Standards GV.RM.S1-4 |
The Sonatype platform in its entirety is a software supply chain management solution that allows broad control of third parties and continuous identification and evaluation through:
Covers Standards GV.SC.S1-8 |
2. Cyber Resilience ANTICIPATE | Cybersecurity function: IDENTIFY
CSCRF Section |
CSCRF ID |
Sonatype Capabilities |
---|---|---|
ID.AM: Asset Management The data, personnel, devices, systems, and facilities that enable the RE to achieve its business purposes are identified and managed consistently in accordance with their relative importance to organizational objectives and the RE’s risk strategy. |
2.1 |
Using Sonatype Nexus Repository, you can manage, store, and audit each and every software asset ingested into the organization.
Covers Standards ID.AM.S1-6 |
ID.RA: Risk Assessment The cybersecurity risk to the organization, assets, and individuals is assessed and understood by the RE. |
2.2 |
Sonatype’s Customer Success team is world-renowned for helping companies develop security policies and best practices associated with software and application asset management.
Covers Standards ID.RA.S1-5 |
CSCRF Section
ID.AM: Asset Management The data, personnel, devices, systems, and facilities that enable the RE to achieve its business purposes are identified and managed consistently in accordance with their relative importance to organizational objectives and the RE’s risk strategy. |
ID.RA: Risk Assessment The cybersecurity risk to the organization, assets, and individuals is assessed and understood by the RE. |
CSCRF ID
2.1 |
2.2 |
Sonatype Capabilities
Using Sonatype Nexus Repository, you can manage, store, and audit each and every software asset ingested into the organization.
Covers Standards ID.AM.S1-6 |
Sonatype’s Customer Success team is world-renowned for helping companies develop security policies and best practices associated with software and application asset management.
Covers Standards ID.RA.S1-5 |
3. Cyber Resilience ANTICIPATE | Cybersecurity function: PROTECT
CSCRF Section |
CSCRF ID |
Sonatype Capabilities |
---|---|---|
PR.DS: Data Security Information and records (data) are managed consistent with the organization’s risk strategy to protect the Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability of information. |
3.3 |
Audit and retention policies are key capabilities of Sonatype solutions.
Covers Standards PR.DS.S, S5, and S6 |
PR.IP: Information Protection Processes and Procedures Security policies (that address purpose, scope, roles, responsibilities, management commitment, and coordination among organizational entities), processes, and procedures are maintained and used to manage the protection of information systems and assets. |
3.4 |
Sonatype’s customizable security policies and integration into existing tooling and alerting frameworks help companies manage the task of vulnerability and licensing compliance.
Covers Standards ID.RA.S1-5 |
CSCRF Section
PR.DS: Data Security Information and records (data) are managed consistent with the organization’s risk strategy to protect the Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability of information. |
PR.IP: Information Protection Processes and Procedures Security policies (that address purpose, scope, roles, responsibilities, management commitment, and coordination among organizational entities), processes, and procedures are maintained and used to manage the protection of information systems and assets. |
CSCRF ID
3.3 |
3.4 |
Sonatype Capabilities
Audit and retention policies are key capabilities of Sonatype solutions.
Covers Standards PR.DS.S, S5, and S6 |
Sonatype’s customizable security policies and integration into existing tooling and alerting frameworks help companies manage the task of vulnerability and licensing compliance.
Covers Standards ID.RA.S1-5 |
4. Cyber Resilience ANTICIPATE | Cybersecurity function: DETECT
CSCRF Section |
CSCRF ID |
Sonatype Capabilities |
---|---|---|
DE.CM: Security Continuous Monitoring The REs’ information systems and assets are monitored to identify cybersecurity events and verify the effectiveness of protective measures. |
4.1 |
Sonatype ensures compliance through continuous monitoring, securing third-party software, generating detailed audit reports, and integrating with SOC infrastructure for enhanced threat detection.
Covers Standards DE.CM.S1-5 |
DE.DP: Detection Process Detection processes and procedures are maintained and tested to ensure awareness of anomalous events. |
4.2 |
Sonatype provides clear accountability through role-based controls, enabling continuous detection validation in workflows, and automating compliance reporting.
Covers Standards ID.RA.S1-5 |
CSCRF Section
DE.CM: Security Continuous Monitoring The REs’ information systems and assets are monitored to identify cybersecurity events and verify the effectiveness of protective measures. |
DE.DP: Detection Process Detection processes and procedures are maintained and tested to ensure awareness of anomalous events. |
CSCRF ID
4.1 |
4.2 |
Sonatype Capabilities
Sonatype ensures compliance through continuous monitoring, securing third-party software, generating detailed audit reports, and integrating with SOC infrastructure for enhanced threat detection.
Covers Standards DE.CM.S1-5 |
Sonatype provides clear accountability through role-based controls, enabling continuous detection validation in workflows, and automating compliance reporting.
Covers Standards ID.RA.S1-5 |
5. Cyber Resilience Goal: WITHSTAND & CONTAIN | Cybersecurity function: RESPOND
CSCRF Section |
CSCRF ID |
Sonatype Capabilities |
---|---|---|
RS.MA: Incident Management Incident response plans and procedures are executed and maintained in order to ensure response to detected/ known cybersecurity incidents. |
5.1 |
Enable real-time incident detection and response, automated containment, comprehensive audit trails, support for incident response drills, and integration with CERT-In threat intelligence.
Covers Standards RS.MA.S1-5 |
RS.CO: Incident Response Reporting and Communication Response activities are coordinated with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., external support from CERT-In, law enforcement agencies, etc.). Voluntary information sharing occurs with external stakeholders to achieve broader cybersecurity situational awarene. |
5.2 |
Simplify compliance through automated incident reporting, ensuring SOP adherence, enabling real-time stakeholder coordination, maintaining comprehensive audit trails, and supporting continuous security improvement.
Covers Standards RS.CO.S1-3 |
RS.AN: Incident Analysis Incident analysis is conducted to ensure effective response and support recovery activities. |
5.3 |
The Sonatype platform centralizes vulnerability management, enabling forensic investigations, automating impact analysis, enforcing adaptive policies, and simplifying regulatory reporting.
Covers Standards RS.AN.S1-5 |
CSCRF Section
RS.MA: Incident Management Incident response plans and procedures are executed and maintained in order to ensure response to detected/ known cybersecurity incidents. |
RS.CO: Incident Response Reporting and Communication Response activities are coordinated with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., external support from CERT-In, law enforcement agencies, etc.). Voluntary information sharing occurs with external stakeholders to achieve broader cybersecurity situational awarene. |
RS.AN: Incident Analysis Incident analysis is conducted to ensure effective response and support recovery activities. |
CSCRF ID
5.1 |
5.2 |
5.3 |
Sonatype Capabilities
Enable real-time incident detection and response, automated containment, comprehensive audit trails, support for incident response drills, and integration with CERT-In threat intelligence.
Covers Standards RS.MA.S1-5 |
Simplify compliance through automated incident reporting, ensuring SOP adherence, enabling real-time stakeholder coordination, maintaining comprehensive audit trails, and supporting continuous security improvement.
Covers Standards RS.CO.S1-3 |
The Sonatype platform centralizes vulnerability management, enabling forensic investigations, automating impact analysis, enforcing adaptive policies, and simplifying regulatory reporting.
Covers Standards RS.AN.S1-5 |
7. Cyber Resilience Goal: EVOLVE
CSCRF Section |
CSCRF ID |
Sonatype Capabilities |
---|---|---|
EV.ST: Strategies A major component of cyber resilience is the ability to adapt and improve the security posture to stay ahead of threats. |
7.1 |
Sonatype empowers REs to proactively mitigate threats, enhance technology diversity, refine security controls, adapt to emerging risks, and scale cyber resilience.
Covers Standards EV.ST.S1-5 |
CSCRF Section
EV.ST: Strategies A major component of cyber resilience is the ability to adapt and improve the security posture to stay ahead of threats. |
CSCRF ID
7.1 |
Sonatype Capabilities
Sonatype empowers REs to proactively mitigate threats, enhance technology diversity, refine security controls, adapt to emerging risks, and scale cyber resilience.
Covers Standards EV.ST.S1-5 |