A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering NIST CSF for Senior Financial Services Executives
Become the recognised authority on cybersecurity risk in commercial finance
$199 one-time
24-hour access provisioning
30-day money-back guarantee
Hand-built implementation playbook
12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Who this is for
C-level executive in financial services with a 30+ year track record, leading commercial finance organisations through complex regulatory and operational environments
Who this is not for
Junior compliance staff, IT auditors, or technical implementers looking for control-by-control configuration guides
What you walk away with
- Lead internal discussions on cybersecurity preparedness with confidence
- Serve as the go-to decision point for vendor risk assessments involving NIST CSF
- Articulate NIST CSF's relevance to commercial real estate lending operations
- Build repeatable review frameworks that scale beyond individual consultants
- Position your organisation as ahead of regulatory expectations
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Understanding the NIST CSF Core Structure
Break down the five Functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover. Learn how each applies to commercial finance operations.
12 chapters in this module
- Core purpose of NIST CSF
- The five Functions explained
- Function 1: Identify
- Function 2: Protect
- Function 3: Detect
- Function 4: Respond
- Function 5: Recover
- How Functions interrelate
- Mapping Functions to finance workflows
- Use case: Lender onboarding
- Use case: Third-party risk
- Use case: Incident response planning
Module 2. Governance and Risk Management Context
Align NIST CSF with board-level expectations and organisational risk appetite, tailored for financial institutions.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining organisational context
- Establishing risk tolerance
- Linking cyber risk to credit risk
- Regulatory expectations
- Executive oversight models
- Risk assessment frequency
- Documenting governance
- Risk ownership roles
- Cyber risk reporting cadence
- Insurance considerations
- Audit trail expectations
- Board communication style
Module 3. Asset Management in Financial Services
Identify critical data and systems specific to commercial property finance operations.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining data classifications
- Loan origination systems
- Customer PII handling
- Third-party vendor data flow
- Cloud storage policies
- Data retention rules
- Mobile access management
- Asset inventory templates
- Ownership assignment
- System criticality scoring
- Data lineage tracking
- Decommissioning process
Module 4. Business Environment and Risk Assessment
Tailor NIST CSF to the unique operational and regulatory context of commercial finance businesses.
12 chapters in this module
- Commercial lending risk profile
- Regulatory mapping exercise
- Jurisdictional compliance needs
- Third-party dependency review
- Vendor risk scoring
- Geographic risk factors
- Loan portfolio exposure
- Cyber liability exposure
- Insurance coverage review
- Stress testing scenarios
- Recovery time objectives
- Benchmarking against peers
Module 5. Supply Chain Risk Management
Apply NIST CSF to vendor oversight, a critical function in distributed financial operations.
12 chapters in this module
- Vendor due diligence
- Contractual security clauses
- Third-party audit rights
- Cybersecurity questionnaires
- Cloud provider evaluation
- Loan servicing partners
- Appraisal vendor risk
- Legal entity verification
- Subprocessor oversight
- Incident notification SLAs
- Exit strategy planning
- Ongoing monitoring
Module 6. Identity and Access Control Frameworks
Design access policies that protect sensitive financial data without stifling operations.
12 chapters in this module
- Role-based access control
- Privileged account management
- Multi-factor adoption
- Remote access policy
- Vendor access controls
- Loan officer access levels
- Executive access review
- Session timeout rules
- Access revocation process
- Background check integration
- Single sign-on benefits
- Access log review
Module 7. Data Protection and Encryption Standards
Implement robust data protection aligned with NIST CSF, tailored for financial data sensitivity.
12 chapters in this module
- Data classification schema
- Encryption at rest settings
- Encryption in transit standards
- Key management policy
- Portable device rules
- Email security measures
- File sharing controls
- Data loss prevention tools
- Cloud storage encryption
- Backup data protection
- Third-party data handling
- Audit logging for access
Module 8. Incident Response Planning and Execution
Build a response plan that maintains trust and regulatory standing during cyber events.
12 chapters in this module
- Incident definition criteria
- Response team roles
- Internal communication plan
- Regulator notification process
- Customer notification policy
- Legal counsel engagement
- Forensic readiness
- Public relations strategy
- Loan servicing continuity
- Post-incident review
- Update playbook triggers
- Tabletop exercise design
Module 9. Ongoing Monitoring and Detection Systems
Establish detection capabilities that align with risk exposure and operational scale.
12 chapters in this module
- Security event logging
- Monitoring tool selection
- Alert threshold setting
- 24/7 coverage model
- Outsourced SOC options
- Phishing detection rules
- Network anomaly detection
- User behaviour analytics
- Vendor monitoring scope
- False positive reduction
- Incident triage process
- Monthly review cadence
Module 10. Recovery and Resilience Planning
Ensure continuity of commercial lending operations after disruption.
12 chapters in this module
- Business impact analysis
- Recovery time objectives
- Data backup strategy
- Alternate site options
- Loan servicing continuity
- Customer communication plan
- Vendor recovery coordination
- Staff mobilisation plan
- Insurance activation
- Regulatory reporting
- Public statement preparation
- Recovery testing schedule
Module 11. Reporting and Executive Communication
Translate technical NIST CSF posture into clear leadership updates.
12 chapters in this module
- Executive summary format
- Risk heat mapping
- Key metric selection
- Board presentation style
- Regulator update structure
- Peer benchmarking
- Progress tracking
- Investment justification
- Vendor comparison data
- Audit readiness status
- Incident response performance
- Year-over-year improvement
Module 12. Sustaining and Evolving the Program
Keep NIST CSF alignment living and relevant as business and threats evolve.
12 chapters in this module
- Annual review process
- Framework update tracking
- Staff training refresh
- Policy version control
- Benchmarking updates
- Vendor re-evaluation
- Incident lessons integration
- Regulatory change monitoring
- Technology refresh cycle
- Leadership transition plan
- M&A due diligence use
- Organisational change management
How this maps to your situation
- Commercial real estate lender operations
- Mid-sized financial services firms
- Founder-led organisations
- Regulated financial intermediaries
Before vs. after
Before
Cybersecurity discussions feel technical and fragmented, requiring reliance on external advisors.
After
You lead cybersecurity strategy confidently, using NIST CSF as a framework to unify risk, operations, and regulatory expectations.
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: Approximately 3-4 hours per module, designed for executive pacing with on-demand access.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic cybersecurity courses, this program is tailored for financial services CEOs, focusing on strategic application of NIST CSF rather than technical implementation. It avoids IT-centric language and instead builds executive fluency for decision-making and influence.
Frequently asked
Who is this course designed for?
C-level executives and founders in commercial finance who need to lead cybersecurity conversations without becoming technical auditors.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Is this about implementing NIST CSF technically?
No. This is about strategic mastery , leading decisions, shaping policy, and being the recognised reference point.
$199 one-time. Approximately 3-4 hours per module, designed for executive pacing with on-demand access..
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours