<P> The Center for Internet Security Critical Security Controls for Effective Cyber Defense is a publication of best practice guidelines for computer security . The project was initiated early in 2008 as a response to extreme data losses experienced by organizations in the US defense industrial base and recently . The publication was initially developed by the SANS Institute, ownership was transferred to the Council on Cyber Security (CCS) in 2013 and then transferred to Center for Internet Security (CIS) in 2015 . It was earlier known as the Consensus Audit Guidelines and it is also known as the CIS CSC, CIS 20, CCS CSC, SANS Top 20 or CAG 20 . </P> <P> The guidelines consist of 20 key actions, called critical security controls (CSC), that organizations should take to block or mitigate known attacks . The controls are designed so that primarily automated means can be used to implement, enforce and monitor them . The security controls give no - nonsense, actionable recommendations for cyber security, written in language that's easily understood by IT personnel . Goals of the Consensus Audit Guidelines include to: </P> <Ul> <Li> Leverage cyber offense to inform cyber defense, focusing on high payoff areas, </Li> <Li> Ensure that security investments are focused to counter highest threats, </Li> <Li> Maximize use of automation to enforce security controls, thereby negating human errors, and </Li> <Li> Use consensus process to collect best ideas . </Li> </Ul>

The cis critical security controls for effective cyber defense version 6.1