The CS5 Cyber Defense Framework
CS5 is Tatva's operating model for cyber defense. Five stages - Assess, Protect, Detect, Respond, Comply - aligned one-to-one with the NIST CSF and delivered end-to-end by OSCP, CISSP and GCIH certified engineers. Every engagement runs the same lifecycle, so you get predictable outcomes, audit-ready evidence and a clear roadmap from day one.
Five stages, one operating record
Every pass around the ring updates the same record - assets, risks, detections and audit evidence - so the next Assess starts from what the last Comply proved.
Five stages, one operating model.
Each stage produces measurable outcomes and hands off cleanly to the next - so posture improves cycle over cycle.
Protect
• Zero Trust segmentation, MFA and least-privilege identity design • Firewall, SD-WAN, NAC and endpoint hardening to CIS benchmarks • Cloud-workload protection, secrets hygiene and configuration baselines
Detect
• 24x7 monitoring with sub-15-minute analyst triage • SIEM engineering, detection-as-code and MITRE ATT&CK coverage mapping • Threat hunting, UEBA and enrichment from open and commercial intel
CS5 vs NIST CSF
CS5 aligns one-to-one with NIST CSF functions. The Comply stage maps to the Govern function introduced in CSF 2.0 and adds regulator-specific evidence for RBI, SEBI CSCRF, DPDP, ISO 27001 and SOC 2.
| CS5 stage | NIST CSF function | Representative activities |
|---|---|---|
| Assess | Identify | Asset discovery, risk assessment, roadmap |
| Protect | Protect | Identity, network, endpoint, cloud hardening |
| Detect | Detect | SOC monitoring, SIEM engineering, hunting |
| Respond | Respond + Recover | SOAR containment, DFIR, restoration, lessons |
| Comply | Govern (CSF 2.0) | Evidence, audit readiness, board reporting |
Frequently asked questions
CS5 is an operating model, not a replacement framework. It aligns one-to-one with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework functions and adds a fifth stage - Comply - that folds Govern-style evidence, audit readiness and regulatory mapping (ISO 27001, RBI, SEBI CSCRF, SOC 2, DPDP) into the same lifecycle a Tatva engagement runs day-to-day.
Every CS5 engagement is led by certified engineers - typically OSCP for offensive assessments, CISSP for architecture and governance, and GCIH for incident response. A named lead consultant owns the roadmap end-to-end and is supported by our 24x7 SOC for the Detect and Respond stages.
Yes. Most organisations start with Assess to build a prioritised roadmap, then layer in Detect (Managed SOC) or Comply (audit acceleration) based on the highest-value gap. The stages are designed to compound: Protect controls generate Detect telemetry, and Respond findings feed the next Assess cycle.
A first-pass Assess completes in 2-4 weeks. Protect hardening runs in 8-12 week sprints alongside a live SOC onboarding (Detect) that reaches full coverage in 6-8 weeks. Comply activities are continuous once the baseline is in place, with the first audit-ready milestone usually inside 90-120 days.
Start with a free security assessment.
A 45-minute session with a Tatva engineer. We map your current posture to CS5, share a prioritised roadmap, and identify the two or three moves that will materially reduce risk in the next 90 days.
Book a Free Security Assessment