CIS Controls v8: 90-Day Quick Wins for Mid-Market IT Teams

Mid-market IT teams often face the same threats as large enterprises but with smaller staffs, tighter budgets, and broader responsibility. The CIS Critical Security Controls provide a prioritized roadmap that helps technical teams reduce risk quickly. Version 8 organizes the Controls into Implementation Groups so organizations can focus on the safeguards that match their size and maturity.

This guide breaks down a practical 90-day approach for SMB and mid-market IT teams. The sequence focuses on what delivers the most measurable impact: visibility, hygiene, monitoring, and repeatable governance.

Start with IG1: Inventory, Controls, and Basic Hygiene

Implementation Group 1 establishes the foundation that reduces the most common causes of cyber incidents. For most SMBs and mid-market teams, IG1 builds clarity around assets, configurations, and basic protections.

Build an accurate asset inventory

Create a single inventory for hardware, software, SaaS, and unmanaged devices. Gaps in visibility often hide risks such as forgotten laptops, abandoned administrator accounts, or unpatched network appliances. Use automated discovery tools wherever possible to ensure that the inventory reflects real conditions.

Standardize secure configurations

Develop configuration baselines for Windows, macOS, browsers, mobile devices, and cloud tenants. Apply regular scans to identify drift and document each remediation cycle. Removing default credentials, disabling unused services, and applying secure baselines across environments closes many high-impact vulnerabilities.

Apply essential endpoint and access protections

Verify endpoint protection coverage across all devices. Enforce multi-factor authentication for all users, especially administrators. Monitor for legacy authentication and remove it when possible. These steps reduce the probability of credential theft and privilege misuse.

Strengthen backup hygiene

Define RPO and RTO objectives for each critical workload. Maintain at least one offline or immutable backup so ransomware cannot destroy all copies. Test restores quarterly and document results for audit readiness.

For a detailed overview of the Controls, review the official resources from the Center for Internet Security.

References:
CIS Controls v8 Overview
https://www.cisecurity.org/controls/v8
CIS Controls List
https://www.cisecurity.org/controls/cis-controls-list

Elevate to IG2: Monitoring, Hardening, and Segmentation

After the basics are in place, move into IG2 activities that expand visibility and reduce the blast radius of potential attacks.

Mature vulnerability and patch management

Use authenticated scans and prioritize remediation based on exploitability rather than severity alone. This approach shortens exposure windows and aligns patching with real-world risk.

Centralize logging and alerting

Aggregate identity, endpoint, network, and cloud logs. If your environment runs Microsoft 365, enable unified audit logs and integrate them into a SIEM. Correlating sign-in anomalies with endpoint alerts provides faster detection of credential misuse.

Harden privileged access

Separate standard and administrator accounts. Require multi-factor authentication for every privileged role. Consider just-in-time access workflows that grant elevated permissions only when necessary. These practices limit lateral movement during an incident.

Apply segmentation and application control

Restrict workstation access to critical systems by segmenting networks. Enable application control policies to reduce the execution of unknown or risky binaries. Limit third-party OAuth access in SaaS environments and review permissions regularly.

Additional guidance and updates can be found in the CIS v8.1 resources.

References:
CIS Controls v8.1
https://www.cisecurity.org/controls/v8-1

Track Progress with KPIs, Audits, and Executive Reporting

Security improvements stick when they are measured, reviewed, and tied to business outcomes.

Define meaningful KPIs

Useful metrics include:
• Percent of assets inventoried
• MFA coverage rates
• Endpoint detection and response coverage
• Time to patch critical vulnerabilities
• Phishing report and click rates
• Backup restore success rates
• Number of dormant accounts removed each month

Use a simple dashboard to track progress and connect each KPI to the relevant CIS Control. Executive visibility encourages consistent action and sustained commitment.

Run recurring reviews and exercises

Quarterly access reviews, SaaS application consent audits, ransomware tabletop exercises, and organized evidence libraries help streamline compliance and cyber insurance renewals. As your program matures, map the Controls to frameworks such as NIST, HIPAA, or PCI using the CIS Controls Navigator.

Reference:
CIS Controls Navigator
https://www.cisecurity.org/controls/cis-controls-navigator/v8

FAQ: CIS Controls v8 for SMB and Mid-Market IT

What are CIS Controls v8?

They are a prioritized set of security practices maintained by the Center for Internet Security. Version 8 aligns Controls to modern hybrid environments and common threat patterns.

What are Implementation Groups?

Implementation Groups (IG1, IG2, IG3) help organizations choose safeguards that match their size, complexity, and resources. SMB and mid-market teams typically begin with IG1 and expand into IG2 as capabilities mature.

How long does it take to see results?

Most organizations can reduce measurable risk within the first 30 to 90 days by focusing on asset inventory, secure configuration, MFA, patching, and backup hygiene.

Is this a replacement for NIST or other frameworks?

No. The CIS Controls complement other frameworks. Many organizations use the Controls to operationalize security requirements and then map them to NIST, HIPAA, PCI, or ISO.

Do we need new tools to start?

Not always. Many IG1 activities rely on tightening existing configurations, enabling built-in features, and improving processes rather than buying additional software.