Bad news: Cybersecurity in 2025 demands more than firewalls and antivirus software. AI-driven attacks and vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructures require a new level of vigilance and strategy.
The silver lining? Today’s cybersecurity tools and frameworks are smarter and more effective than ever—if you know how to use them correctly.
We spoke with Ravi Kumar, a Senior Site Reliability Engineer at Microsoft, Senior IEEE member, and CISSP-certified cybersecurity expert. His cybersecurity research has been published in Nanotechnology Perceptions and ESP-IJACT, where he explores advancements in threat detection and defense strategies, focusing on AI-driven attacks and zero-trust architecture. Kumar breaks down three key resources every business should know, offering a clear, actionable guide to how these frameworks operate, the problems they solve, and how businesses can leverage them to protect their assets and data.
NIST Cybersecurity Framework: A Practical Blueprint
Created by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), this framework is a practical, flexible guide for managing cybersecurity risk. Built around five key functions—Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover—it helps organizations systematically address their vulnerabilities. “It’s considered the gold standard for a reason,” says Kumar. “It works for organizations of all sizes—even those without dedicated security teams.”
Why Businesses Choose NIST:
- Customizable: The framework adapts to your organization’s size, industry, and resources, whether you’re a startup or a Fortune 500 company.
- Big picture focus: It ensures cybersecurity supports broader business objectives rather than acting as an isolated function.
- Risk-driven: It helps businesses prioritize protecting their most critical assets.
However, Kumar warns that NIST’s flexibility can be a double-edged sword. “It doesn’t provide a step-by-step guide or predefined set of tools,” he explains. “You need a clear understanding of your vulnerabilities to make it actionable.”
Drawing from his work modernizing legacy systems at institutions like the City Colleges of Chicago, Kumar explains how NIST often becomes the backbone of phased, long-term security plans. “It helps stakeholders understand why certain steps are necessary, aligning everyone around a shared vision for major cybersecurity changes. It makes big cybersecurity concepts digestible.” For organizations seeking a scalable and adaptable strategy, NIST offers a reliable starting point.
MITRE ATT&CK: Mapping Adversarial Tactics
MITRE ATT&CK, a globally recognized knowledge base, catalogs real-world cyberattack tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). By mapping how threats operate, it provides businesses with a comprehensive view of their vulnerabilities. “If you already have a good grasp of your systems and want to stay ahead of evolving threats, MITRE ATT&CK is an incredible resource,” Kumar says.
Why Businesses Rely on MITRE ATT&CK:
- Real-world intelligence: Its database is grounded in actual attack methods, making it a relevant and grounded resource.
- Proactive security: It helps organizations spot and close security gaps before attackers can exploit them.
- Prioritizes incident response: Security teams use ATT&CK to detect, respond to, and recover from breaches in a more effective, structured way.
For smaller teams, the framework can feel daunting. “It can feel like you’re handed an NFL playbook when you’ve only got a handful of players on the field,” Kumar notes. Larger organizations with dedicated security teams stand to benefit most from its detailed insights. Financial institutions, Kumar explains, frequently combine MITRE ATT&CK with simulated attack exercises—commonly known as red team/blue team drills—to uncover weaknesses and strengthen defenses. “These drills transform theoretical knowledge into real-world readiness,” Kumar explains.
Tiered Architecture: Layering Your Security
Tiered architecture, also known as the Privileged Access Model (PAM), divides IT systems into layers with varying levels of access. This compartmentalized approach limits the damage a breach can cause, making it a security cornerstone for larger, distributed businesses. Kumar offers an analogy: “Think of your IT system as a skyscraper. Not everyone should have access to the control room. Tiered architecture manages who gets in the front door and how high the elevator can go.”
Tier 0 is the most secure level, housing critical systems like domain controllers and identity management. Access is tightly restricted and requires dedicated, secure devices.
Tier 1 includes essential servers and applications for day-to-day operations, accessible only to designated administrators.
Tier 2 covers employee-facing tools like laptops, email, and web browsers, with less restrictive access.
Why Businesses Implement Tiered Architecture:
- Damage control: By isolating each tier, it prevents a single attack from taking over your entire system.
- Supports Zero Trust principles: This model ensures that no action is taken without verification, restricting access to what’s absolutely necessary.
- Scalable: Designed to handle the complexity of large, distributed organizations.
“This model requires extensive planning and ongoing adjustments,” adds Kumar. “It’s not something you can bolt on.” Reflecting on his work with healthcare organizations like UVM Health Network, Kumar highlights how PAM secures sensitive data while ensuring compliance with regulations like HIPAA and SOX. For industries with stringent security needs, tiered architecture is often the first step in a cybersecurity restructure.
Choosing the Right Strategy for Your Business
Deciding which strategy to adopt depends on your business’s priorities. Kumar outlines a straightforward process.
Protect what matters most, such as customer data, financial systems, or intellectual property. “You’ll want to build outward. Start by building a moat around your most important assets.”
Don’t be afraid to combine resources. “You don’t need to choose just one framework,” Kumar says. “Many organizations pair NIST for strategic planning with MITRE ATT&CK for tactical insights.”
Invest in training to ensure your staff can maintain and adapt these solutions. “Even the most sophisticated frameworks are ineffective without skilled people to implement them,” concludes Kumar.
Cyber threats are evolving, but with the right tools, frameworks, and expertise, businesses can confidently secure their most critical assets in 2025.