How Control Maturity Impacts Your Information Security Compliance

Control maturity has always been key to proactive risk management; it's the difference between identifying a risk before it happens vs. handling the fallout. Organizations that have effective controls are still finding it difficult to identify problems before they occur, often relying on reactive processes and dealing with challenges as they emerge.

In contrast, organizations that have implemented a control maturity program are more proactive at mitigating risk and responding to changes. In this article, we will explore why control maturity matters, how control maturity models can be used, and the implications maturity has for business performance.

Why Control Maturity Matters

Control maturity is an effective way of measuring the efficiency and risk of an organization's security controls. Control maturity enables organizations to identify strengths and weakness within their compliance program.

Proactively identifying gaps in an information security program, subsequently enables CISO's and Compliance Managers to align company priorities. In doing so, organizations have all the information they need to allocate an appropriate budget and dedicate resources. Tracking control maturity drives proactive thinking and opens discussions around risk management.

A strategic approach to control maturity typically includes:

• Developing procedures for assessing and managing information security risks

• Establishing guidelines for selecting and implementing security controls such as access controls, encryption, and firewalls

• Defining policies and procedures for monitoring and detecting security incidents—including robust reporting processes and incident response plans

• Ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements related to information security

By taking a deliberate and structured approach to these areas, organizations move beyond reactive firefighting and toward a proactive, resilient risk management posture.

But what does it really mean for an organization to have mature information security? At its core, information security maturity reflects the set of characteristics, practices, and processes that determine an organization’s ability to protect its information assets and respond to threats effectively.

Building maturity requires a strategic approach to several key areas:

• Risk assessment and management: Developing formal procedures for identifying and addressing information security risks.

• Control selection and implementation: Establishing guidelines for choosing, implementing, and maintaining controls like access management, encryption, and firewalls.

• Incident detection and response: Creating clear policies and procedures for monitoring security events, reporting incidents, and executing response plans.

• Regulatory compliance: Ensuring ongoing adherence to relevant legal and regulatory requirements related to information security.

By focusing on these foundational elements, organizations can move beyond a checkbox approach to compliance, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and resilience in the face of evolving threats.

The Essential Role of Compliance in Building Maturity

Maintaining compliance with relevant regulations and standards isn't just a box-ticking exercise—it's fundamental to maturing your information security program. Adhering to frameworks like ISO 27001, NIST, or GDPR enables organizations to create structured security practices, ensure accountability, and demonstrate an ongoing commitment to keeping sensitive data secure.

Beyond avoiding fines and reputational headaches, meeting compliance requirements helps organizations systematically detect weaknesses, close gaps, and foster a culture of continual improvement. As organizations grow and new challenges emerge, a well-managed compliance program makes it far easier to scale controls and adapt policies.

Proactive compliance also enhances stakeholder confidence. Customers, partners, and regulators alike are reassured by clear evidence that your business isn’t simply reacting to risks, but actively building and evolving a mature, resilient security posture.

Advantages of a Scalable Compliance Program

Building a regulatory compliance program that can evolve alongside your organization's growth is essential for long-term success. As your business expands, so do regulatory demands—not to mention the complexity of your operations. By ensuring your compliance program can keep pace, you reduce the risk of costly gaps or unforeseen exposures.

A scalable approach lets you:

• Respond swiftly to new regulations: Instead of scrambling each time new rules are introduced, your program is adaptable and ready to address emerging requirements, regardless of the frameworks you're working with.

• Maintain consistency across frameworks: Mapping controls between different standards ensures that compliance efforts are not duplicated, saving time and resources.

• Support efficient resource allocation: You can dedicate the right people and tools to areas with the largest impact, rather than getting bogged down in manual or redundant tasks.

• Facilitate smooth audits and reduce operational disruption: When controls are aligned and processes are standardized, audit preparation becomes less of a scramble and more of a routine check-in.

Ultimately, a flexible compliance program not only helps you meet legal obligations, but it also positions your business to respond confidently to change. Whether that means entering new markets, adding more employees, or adopting new technologies.

What Is Information Security and Why Does It Matter?

Information security is essential, but often underappreciated until you need it. At its core, information security encompasses the tools, strategies, and habits that organizations use to protect sensitive data, critical systems, and the underlying networks that keep business ticking along.

But why is this so pivotal? As organizations scatter their data across cloud platforms, mobile devices, and remote work setups, the attack surface stretches wider than your average Texas ranch. Simultaneously, cyber threats aren’t sitting still, think of hackers as the Houdinis of the internet, constantly finding new ways to slip past defenses.

Robust information security is crucial not just for keeping out these digital escape artists, but for several big reasons:

• Preventing data breaches: Think of recent headlines featuring companies like Target or Equifax—avoiding similar disasters saves reputation and dollars.

• Safeguarding privacy: Customer trust hinges on confidentiality, whether you’re handling medical records or someone’s coffee order preferences.

• Meeting compliance demands: Regulatory requirements like HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS are not just red tape—they carry real consequences for slip-ups.

In other words, information security isn’t just an IT department concern; it’s a foundational piece of a healthy, resilient organization.

Incident Response and Disaster Recovery in Security Maturity

Building information security maturity isn't just about setting controls and hoping for the best, it's about preparing for the worst, too. This is where incident response and disaster recovery plans come into play.

An incident response plan gives your organization a tested playbook for swiftly managing security incidents, ensuring that threats are contained before they spiral. Instead of scrambling reactively, teams equipped with a robust plan can act with speed and confidence, minimizing potential damage to systems and data.

Meanwhile, a disaster recovery plan focuses on restoring critical operations and data after an incident, such as a ransomware attack or a major outage. With a mature disaster recovery strategy, organizations can quickly bounce back, restoring confidence for both leadership and stakeholders. Together, these plans transform information security from a defensive posture to a proactive one.

The Role of Executive and Board Buy-In

Achieving real progress in control maturity hinges on support from the top. When executives and board members are fully engaged, they not only signal the significance of information security across the organization, but also help secure the necessary resources—whether that's budget, personnel, or tools—to make meaningful improvements.

Securing this high-level backing also fosters alignment between security initiatives and the overall business strategy. When leadership is clued into the risks and the maturity roadmap, teams can move beyond box-ticking; they're empowered to prioritize, invest wisely, and ensure company-wide accountability.

Regular communication is key here. Many security leaders now meet with their board quarterly or even monthly to review not just progress, but also to address new challenges and align on critical investments. Embedding information security priorities into boardroom discussions keeps everyone focused on proactive risk management, rather than just reacting to problems after the fact.

Building an Effective Information Security Policy

An effective information security policy forms the backbone of any robust security program. At its core, your policy should clearly lay out how sensitive data, systems, and networks are protected. But it's not just about a set of rules, it's about providing clarity on:

• Objectives and Goals: What exactly are you trying to safeguard, and why does this matter to your business?

• Responsibilities: Who is accountable for maintaining security? This covers everyone from the executive level to individual contributors.

• Rules and Expectations: What are the do’s and don’ts regarding access, usage, and handling of information?

• Incident Response: How are potential security events handled, reported, and remediated?

Beyond the basics, a strong policy also adapts to the evolving landscape. New technologies, regulatory changes, and shifts in your organization's priorities mean your policy is never “set and forget.” At a minimum, plan on reviewing and refreshing your information security policy annually. However, if you roll out critical new business processes, adopt major technologies, or face new regulations reassess sooner.

Regular reviews ensure that your policy remains relevant and effective, supporting a mature, forward-thinking approach to security and compliance.

What are Some Information Security Maturity Models?

As organizations grow and face increasing regulatory and operational complexity, having a mature GRC program becomes critical. One of the most effective ways to evaluate and improve the strength of a GRC program is by using a Control Maturity Model. These models help organizations assess how well their controls are designed, implemented, and optimized over time.

Below are some of the most widely used control maturity models that organizations can adopt as part of their GRC strategy:

1. CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration)

Originally developed for software development, CMMI has been widely adopted across industries to assess the maturity of business processes, including those related to risk and compliance. It includes five levels—ranging from unpredictable and reactive (Level 1) to continuously improving (Level 5). CMMI helps organizations develop a structured path toward more mature and efficient control practices.

2. COBIT Process Capability Model

COBIT, developed by ISACA, is a framework for IT governance and control. Its maturity model spans from Level 0 (Incomplete) to Level 5 (Optimizing). Organizations can use this model to evaluate how well their IT-related controls support business objectives and manage risk. It's particularly useful for assessing the maturity of IT governance within a broader GRC context.

3. NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) Tiers

The NIST CSF provides four Implementation Tiers—Partial, Risk Informed, Repeatable, and Adaptive—that describe the maturity of an organization’s cybersecurity risk management. While not a traditional maturity model, these tiers offer a practical way for organizations to benchmark and improve their cybersecurity controls, aligning them with broader risk and compliance efforts.

4. ISO/IEC 27001 Maturity Models

While ISO/IEC 27001 does not come with a built-in maturity model, many organizations adapt it into levels such as Ad Hoc, Repeatable, Defined, Managed, and Optimized. This approach allows businesses to evaluate how well their information security management systems (ISMS) are functioning and how deeply they are integrated into business operations.

5. Risk Management Maturity Model (RMMM)

Developed by the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS), the RMMM evaluates how well an organization integrates risk management into its culture and operations. It includes five levels from Ad Hoc to Leadership and is especially helpful for organizations looking to improve enterprise risk management (ERM) practices as part of their GRC program.

6. COSO-Based Maturity Models

COSO’s Internal Control – Integrated Framework is a widely adopted standard for evaluating financial and operational controls. While COSO itself isn’t a maturity model, many organizations use it as a foundation for building custom maturity assessments. These typically focus on five areas: control environment, risk assessment, control activities, information and communication, and monitoring.

7. Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model 2 (C2M2)

The Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model (C2M2) is a widely recognized framework developed by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Homeland Security to help organizations of all sizes assess and improve their cybersecurity capabilities. Unlike broader models like CMMI, C2M2 focuses specifically on cybersecurity, offering a structured, self-assessment approach that spans both IT and operational technology (OT) environments. The model outlines three maturity levels—Initiated, Performed, and Managed—allowing organizations to benchmark their current practices, identify gaps, and prioritize investments.

8. Custom or Platform-Based Maturity Models

Many GRC software platforms, such as StandardFusion, MetricStream, or RSA Archer, offer the flexibility to design custom maturity models. These models are often tailored to specific control domains and allow organizations to assess maturity across people, process, and technology. They can be aligned with internal benchmarks, regulatory standards, or business objectives.

Control maturity models provide a structured way for organizations to understand where they stand today and where they need to go to improve their risk and compliance posture. Whether using a standard framework like CMMI or COBIT, or a custom model tailored to your unique environment, incorporating maturity assessments into your GRC program enables continuous improvement, audit readiness, and greater organizational resilience.

What are the 5 Levels to Measuring Control Maturity?

Most control models measure control maturity and assign scores based on a short performance scale.

Below is a high-level summary of typical levels organizations can use to define their capability maturity:

Level 0: Incomplete - Adhoc and Unknown

Work may or may not get completed.

Level 1: Initial - Unpredictable and Reactive

Work gets completed but is often delayed and over budget.

Level 2: Managed - Managed on the Project Level

Projects are planned. Performed and controlled

Level 3: Defined - Proactive Rather than Reactive

Organization-wide standards provide guidance across projects, programs and portfolios.

Level 4: Quantitatively Managed - Measured and Controlled

Organization is data-driven with quantitative performance improvement objectives that are predictable and align to meet the needs of internal and external stakeholders.

Level 5: Optimized - Stable and Flexible

Organization is focused on continuous improvement and is built to pivot and respond to opportunity and change. The organization's stability provides a platform for agility and innovation.

What are the Benefits of a Control Maturity Model?

Using a Control Maturity Model in your GRC program offers several strategic and operational benefits. These models help organizations evaluate and improve the effectiveness of their controls over time. Here are the key benefits:

Provides clear benchmarking and visibility

• Establishes a baseline for current control effectiveness

• Highlights strengths, weaknesses, and improvement areas

• Offers a roadmap for progressing toward optimized controls

Improves risk management

• Identifies high-risk areas with immature controls

• Prioritizes control enhancements based on risk exposure

• Aligns controls with the organization’s risk appetite

Enhances compliance and audit readiness

• Ensures controls are documented, repeatable, and standardized

• Makes it easier to demonstrate compliance during audits

• Helps meet regulatory requirements more efficiently

Supports continuous improvement

• Encourages regular evaluation and refinement of controls

• Enables a shift from reactive to proactive control management

• Drives long-term control and process maturity

Aligns controls with business objectives

• Ensures GRC efforts support broader organizational goals

• Scales compliance activities appropriately across the business

• Keeps controls relevant amid changing business environments

Informs better decision-making

• Guides risk assessments and budgeting decisions

• Justifies investments in new systems or processes

• Enables risk-based prioritization across departments

Improves stakeholder communication

• Simplifies control maturity reporting for executives and boards

• Builds a common understanding of GRC maturity across teams

• Demonstrates measurable progress over time

Integrates with modern GRC platforms

• Supports automation of control assessments and tracking

• Provides visual dashboards and maturity scoring

• Enables centralized reporting and oversight

Best Practices for Building Control Maturity

While understanding the CMMI maturity levels is foundational, actually moving up the maturity curve requires deliberate action. Consider integrating these best practices to accelerate your progress:

1. Secure Buy-In from Executives and the Board

Executive sponsorship is essential. Regularly engage senior leadership by sharing your maturity metrics and helping them understand the impact of control maturity on risk, compliance, and resource allocation.

2. Maintain a Comprehensive Asset Inventory

You can't protect what you don’t know exists. Move beyond spreadsheets and implement tools that automate asset discovery and inventory. This creates a reliable baseline for control implementation and monitoring.

3. Perform Routine Risk Assessments

Schedule regular risk assessments to uncover new threats and vulnerabilities as your environment evolves. Use these findings to prioritize improvement efforts and resource allocation.

4. Formalize and Update Security Policies

Documenting, communicating, and maintaining your information security policies—reviewed at least annually—ensures your controls evolve alongside business, technology, and regulatory changes.

5. Establish Incident Response and Disaster Recovery Plans

Well-developed, regularly tested plans prepare your organization for both minor incidents and major disruptions, minimizing downtime and data loss.

6. Provide Ongoing Security Awareness Training

Empower your team with regular training tailored to their roles—developers need secure coding, while admins require network security expertise. Make it part of onboarding and an ongoing organizational rhythm.

7. Assess and Monitor Third-Party Risk

Vendors and partners represent an extension of your risk surface. Evaluate their security posture and ensure they meet your compliance requirements.

8. Continuously Test and Improve Controls

Use penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and control automation to ensure your security posture matures, adapts, and closes gaps proactively.

9. Implement Continuous Monitoring

Deploy continuous monitoring tools to detect threats and compliance issues in real time, providing the agility needed for higher maturity.

10. Stay Aligned with Evolving Regulations

As new standards and frameworks emerge, your compliance program—and control maturity—must keep pace. Leverage platforms that support multiple frameworks (like ISO 27001, SOC 2, NIST CSF, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, FedRAMP) and allow for easy mapping and scaling as your business grows.

By following these best practices and leveraging dedicated GRC platforms, you not only strengthen your compliance posture but also lay the groundwork for a mature, agile, and resilient information security program.

The Importance of Ongoing Testing and Enhancement

Maintaining mature controls requires more than simply setting them up, it demands ongoing scrutiny and improvement. When organizations regularly assess and refine their information security controls, they can catch emerging risks before these turn into incidents, rather than being caught off guard.

This process is not just about ticking compliance boxes; it's about ensuring your controls truly work in a landscape where threats are always evolving. Employing tools like automated control monitoring, penetration testing, and vulnerability scanning helps organizations uncover weaknesses quickly and systematically. With these insights, teams can act swiftly to strengthen gaps, reducing the risk window.

More importantly, building a routine of continuous improvement fosters a culture of vigilance. This proactive approach empowers security teams to stay ahead of risks, allocate resources effectively, and ensure that security initiatives support business goals. Ultimately, the discipline of testing and enhancing controls transforms risk management from a one-time project into an adaptive, resilient program.

The Role of Continuous Monitoring in Advancing Maturity

Continuous monitoring plays a pivotal role in elevating an organization's information security maturity. By establishing real-time oversight of your controls, processes, and systems, you create the foundation for proactive risk management.

Instead of waiting for periodic audits or reviews, continuous monitoring allows teams to:

• Instantly detect deviations from policy or abnormal activities,

• Respond rapidly to emerging threats or vulnerabilities,

• Maintain up-to-date visibility into compliance with internal standards and regulatory requirements.

When combined with maturity models like CMMI, continuous monitoring not only highlights areas of improvement, but also streamlines the journey from reactive to predictive and adaptive practices. Organizations leveraging real-time metrics—whether through automated alerting, log management with platforms like Splunk or centralized dashboards, or dedicated GRC software—find it easier to close compliance gaps and maintain momentum in process optimization.

Ultimately, embedding continuous monitoring fosters a culture of improvement, makes control weaknesses transparent, and accelerates progress through the maturity stages. This direction aligns teams, clarifies priorities, and helps maintain the agility needed as your organization grows and faces new security challenges.

GRC Software With Built-In Control Maturity

Achieving control maturity can be challenging but it can be made easier with software.

Your GRC tool should have control maturity tracking, measuring and reporting built in. Ideally leveraging your existing tools to track control maturity will save you time and strengthen your companies risk posture.

There are significant benefits to using a dedicated software platform instead of documenting your compliance program in an ad hoc manner. Dedicated platforms that include control maturity models enable companies to standardize and centralize processes and information, saving time and resources. Other advantages included easily managing compliance to multiple standards including; ISO 27001, SOC 2, NIST CSF, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, FedRAMP and more.

GRC tools can be used to effectively measure and improve maturity as your compliance program evolves. Tracking of control maturity is an important aspect that drives proactive thinking and opens discussions around risk management. A complete GRC platform that uses the industry recognized CMMI control maturity model is ideally the optimal solution. Regardless if you have a dedicated GRC tool or not measuring control maturity is a key driving factor of any forward-thinking information security team today.