7 Key Cloud Security Frameworks Explained

A cloud security framework is a structured set of policies, tools, procedures, and best practices designed to secure cloud environments. It provides a blueprint for protecting your infrastructure and data while also helping you stay compliant with industry regulations.

Of course, these frameworks aren’t one-size-fits-all. Depending on your industry and risk tolerance, you might follow one or more frameworks to guide how you approach.

While each framework is unique, each typically covers five core areas:

• Governance: Defines responsibilities, ownership, and access
• Protection: Encryps data, manages user identities, and secures endpoints
• Detection: Monitors for unusual activity or potential breaches
• Response: Outlines how to contain and recover from incidents
• Compliance: Aligns with regulations and industry standards

Addressing these core areas and adopting a cloud security framework can help you build long-term trust with customers and partners.

Every cloud security framework includes four building blocks:

• Policies: High-level rules that define your organization’s security priorities and acceptable use
• Controls: Technical safeguards like firewalls, access management, and encryption
• Procedures: Operational processes for handling incidents and maintaining compliance
• Tools: The software and systems that enforce and monitor those policies and controls — such as cloud security posture management (CSPM) solutions

These elements work together to make sure your security posture is both proactive and responsive. This gives you the flexibility to scale without compromising protection.

While each framework has its own specifics, a few best practices apply across the board. These tips can help you get the best results when implementing a new framework:

• Start with a risk assessment: Understand your threat landscape before choosing or adapting a framework.
• Prioritize data security: Use strong encryption, access controls, and monitoring to protect sensitive data.
• Automate wherever possible: Streamline security operations using automation tools that detect threats and enforce policies.
• Establish a data governance framework: Define how data is collected, stored, accessed, and protected across your cloud environments.
• Prioritize cross-team collaboration: Security isn’t just IT’s job. Involve stakeholders across dev, ops, and compliance.

As more organizations shift critical work to the cloud, the security stakes are higher than ever. You’re no longer protecting just a physical perimeter — you’re safeguarding a distributed environment that spans data centers, devices, and even third-party services. Having a cloud security framework makes all the difference since it helps you:

• Manage risk: Identify and prioritize threats before they escalate
• Ensure compliance: Follow regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS
• Protect sensitive data: Secure customer, financial, and operational data from breaches and misuse
• Respond faster: Establish clear protocols for detecting and managing incidents
• Build stakeholder trust: Demonstrate to customers and regulators that you take security seriously

They also create consistency across teams. Whether your developers are deploying on an open application development platform, like the Salesforce Platform, or other third-party platforms like AWS, Azure, a cloud security framework keeps everyone following a unified approach to protection and compliance. The result is fewer vulnerabilities and greater confidence as your business grows in the cloud.

From government-grade requirements to industry-specific controls, cloud security frameworks help businesses of all types stay secure and compliant. Below are seven of the most widely recognized frameworks and standards, what they cover, and how to apply them.

The NIST Cybersecurity Framework is one of the most comprehensive and flexible security models available. Originally developed for U.S. critical infrastructure, it’s now widely used by organizations across all sectors.

• Who it’s for: This framework is designed for any organization that wants a risk-based approach to cloud security. It is particularly beneficial for highly regulated industries such as finance and healthcare.
• Key components: The framework is organized around five core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover.
• Security measures: It includes security practices such as access control, encryption, network monitoring, and incident response protocols.
• Compliance support: The NIST CSF supports compliance with key regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and FISMA.
• Implementation: To implement this framework, begin with a risk assessment. After that, map your existing controls to the five core functions, and address gaps using CSPM tools and continuous monitoring strategies.

ISO/IEC 27001 is an international standard that helps organizations establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve their information security management system (ISMS).

• Who it’s for: It is ideal for global businesses looking to demonstrate strong, internationally recognized information security practices.
• Key components: The standard includes key elements such as risk assessment, asset management, access control, incident response, and compliance.
• Security measures: ISO/IEC 27001 emphasizes preventive controls and clearly defined roles and responsibilities throughout the organization.
• Compliance support: It matches closely with GDPR and provides valuable support for audit readiness.
• Implementation: You should define the scope of your ISMS, perform a gap analysis, and follow the ISO implementation roadmap. Certification is optional but can significantly strengthen credibility.

The CSA Cloud Controls Matrix is a detailed framework of security controls tailored specifically to cloud environments. It helps providers and customers assess risk and improve security posture across service models.

• Who it’s for: This framework is best for cloud service providers; enterprises using IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS; and organizations conducting vendor risk assessments.
• Key components: The matrix includes 197 control objectives mapped across 17 domains, such as data security, identity and access management, and compliance.
• Security measures: It outlines controls for encryption, multi-factor authentication, API protection, and secure data disposal.
• Compliance support: The CCM is mapped to other frameworks including NIST, ISO, FedRAMP, and PCI DSS, helping you streamline your compliance efforts.
• Implementation: To apply the CCM, organizations should use the matrix to evaluate providers or benchmark their own practices, updating regularly as environments change.

FedRAMP is a U.S. government program that standardizes the security assessment and authorization process for cloud products and services. It’s a must for any cloud provider working with federal agencies.

• Who it’s for: FedRAMP is required for cloud service providers and SaaS vendors that want to work with U.S. government agencies.
• Key components: The program includes baseline security controls, mandatory third-party assessments, and continuous monitoring requirements.
• Security measures: Organizations must implement strong identity verification, encryption for data at rest and in transit, and well-documented incident response plans.
• Compliance support: FedRAMP is mandatory for U.S. federal contracts and supports broader regulatory compliance with frameworks like NIST 800-53.
• Implementation: Providers should choose a baseline security level (low, moderate, or high), complete a third-party assessment, and submit required documentation for authorization. Ongoing monitoring is also necessary after approval.

PCI DSS is a global standard designed to protect payment card data and prevent fraud. It outlines specific requirements for organizations that store, process, or transmit cardholder data.

• Who it’s for: This standard applies to any business that stores, processes, or transmits payment card data, especially those in retail, hospitality, and e-commerce sectors.
• Key components: The framework includes 12 core requirements across domains such as network security, access controls, and vulnerability management.
• Security measures: Organizations are expected to encrypt cardholder data, implement firewalls, conduct regular system testing, and limit access based on business needs.
• Compliance support: PCI DSS helps organizations meet industry security obligations and follow data protection regulations.
• Implementation: To comply, identify your appropriate PCI DSS level, complete a self-assessment questionnaire or undergo a formal audit, and ensure ongoing monitoring of systems and processes.

The CIS Controls are a set of prioritized cybersecurity best practices designed to reduce the most common and impactful attacks. They offer an easily adoptable approach for improving your security posture.

• Who it’s for: These controls are suitable for organizations of all sizes that want a practical and non-proprietary security framework.
• Key components: The framework includes 18 control categories that cover areas like asset inventory, secure configurations, data protection, and incident response.
• Security measures: Recommended practices include endpoint detection and response, secure software development protocols, centralized logging, and role-based access control.
• Compliance support: CIS Controls match with NIST, HIPAA, and ISO frameworks and are often used as a foundation for broader compliance initiatives.
• Implementation: Organizations typically start with Implementation Group 1 as a baseline, and then progress to more advanced controls as their security maturity grows.

NIST Special Publication 800-53 is a rigorous catalog of security and privacy controls used across U.S. federal information systems. It’s one of the most detailed frameworks available.

• Who it’s for: This framework is intended for government agencies, federal contractors, and organizations operating in highly regulated industries.
• Key components: It includes 20 control families covering areas like access control, system communications protection, audit logging, and personnel security.
• Security measures: Required safeguards include mandatory access controls, continuous monitoring, audit logging, and integrity checks for sensitive data.
• Compliance support: NIST 800-53 underpins other standards like FedRAMP and FISMA and supports internal audit and governance efforts.
• Implementation: Organizations should select appropriate controls based on their system categorization (low, moderate, or high), and use CSPM tools and internal assessments to monitor and enforce them.

Like most data security solutions, frameworks are only as good as the tools behind them. That’s why matching your cloud security approach to a trusted platform matters. The Salesforce Platform offers built-in security features to help you meet leading cloud security standards — all while staying flexible enough to evolve with your business.

Salesforce gives you enterprise-grade security tools to help meet compliance requirements and protect sensitive data from day one.

• Salesforce Shield brings together field-level encryption, event monitoring, and audit trails to support compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA.
• Security Center gives you centralized visibility and control across your organization, making it easier to track risk and enforce policies.
• Privacy Center helps automate data rights management and consent tracking, so you can follow changing global privacy laws while building trust with customers.
• Data Mask & Seed protects Sandbox environments by masking sensitive data and providing realistic test data for secure development and QA workflows.
• Backup & Recover automatically backs up your Salesforce data and metadata. This allows for faster recovery, which reduces downtime.
• Archive boosts performance by archiving older data — while still keeping it easily accessible for audits and compliance needs.

Security shouldn’t be slowing you down, rather it should be accelerating your organization’s success. Salesforce helps you integrate cloud security across all your environments while scaling to meet the needs of growing teams and global operations.

With CSPM capabilities, you can monitor risk and resolve vulnerabilities across your Salesforce environments. The Salesforce Platform also supports secure development for your apps and Agentforce, so your teams can build confidently without compromising compliance

Hyperforce boosts global security and performance by deploying Salesforce in major public cloud infrastructure across regions — while keeping data residency and regulatory requirements in check. Salesforce adapts to your architecture and your goals, with security baked in at every layer.

By combining leading cloud security standards with the power of Salesforce Platform capabilities, you can stay compliant, mitigate risks, and protect what matters most: your data, your users, and your business.