RBI Cyber Security Framework
RBI Cyber Security Framework for banks, NBFCs and payment system providers (2 June 2016 + amendments). Layered with RBI Master Direction on IT Governance, Risk, Controls and Assurance Practices (April 2024) and Master Direction on Cyber Resilience and Digital Payment Security Controls (July 2024) for non-bank PSOs. Level 4 (Maturing) controls include zero trust, post-quantum cryptography readiness, DevSecOps, CSPM, API security, threat hunting, SOAR, threat intel platform, AI cyber resilience (FREE-AI nexus), crisis communications, cyber range, and resilience scoring.
Composition
60 controls currently indexed; participates in 42 cross-framework synthesis clusters.
Participates in synthesis
Each cluster listed below combines this framework's controls with operationally equivalent controls from other frameworks, resolving the overlap into a single audit-defensible specification.
- AI post-deployment monitoring and incident response
- AI principles — Seven Sutras + ISO 42001 + NIST + EU AI Act literacy
- Anti-malware protection with EDR and email/web safeguards
- Authentication architecture and multi-factor authentication
- Board-approved policy framework anchoring derived operational controls (legacy "supplier-policy" cluster name)
- Board-approved security policy framework — IS policy, cyber security policy, and derived operational policies
- Business continuity and ICT recovery readiness
- CISO role — independence, authority, Board access
- Centralised logging with retention, tamper protection, and integrity
- Change management — IT systems, configuration, supplier services, risk
- Cloud Security Posture Management — continuous configuration assessment
- Comprehensive asset inventory with classification and ownership
- Continuous monitoring of networks, systems, applications, and outsourced development
- Cryptographic controls, key management, and post-quantum readiness
- Cyber resilience metrics — KPIs, KRIs, Board reporting cadence
- Cyber risk assessment — technology, process, people, third-party, supply chain, post-quantum
- Cyber security roles, responsibilities, and authority — Board through operational team
- Data Loss Prevention — multi-channel egress protection
- Data classification with protection controls — DLP, masking, retention, secure disposal
- Data localisation — DPDPA SDF traffic data + sectoral requirements
- DevSecOps maturity — security-as-code, pipeline-enforced controls, API security
- Forensic capability and evidence collection
- Incident response execution — detection through eradication, recovery, and lessons learned
- Incident response plan preparation, independent review, and risk-response planning
- India-specific AI risk classification reflecting societal context
- Multi-regulator incident notification with coordinated submission timelines
- Network protection — segmentation, monitoring, perimeter, and data leak prevention
- Network segmentation with zero-trust principles
- PCI DSS PAN protection — storage minimisation, masking, encryption
- PCI DSS v4.0.1 universal MFA expansion to all CDE access
- Physical access controls — secure areas, entry monitoring, asset protection
- Privileged access management and access rights lifecycle
- Ransomware-resilient backup architecture
- Secure SDLC — threat modelling, secure coding, SAST/DAST, dependency scanning, DevSecOps
- Secure configuration baselines and hardening discipline
- Security Operations Centre — SIEM, EDR, forensics, MITRE-aligned detection
- Security reporting governance — CISO, DPO, incident reporting, compliance reporting
- Software installation discipline — authorised software, configuration, source code access
- VAPT cycle — vulnerability assessment and penetration testing programme
- Vulnerability management programme — discovery, prioritisation, remediation
- Workforce security awareness, role-based training, and human-factor controls
- Zero Trust Architecture — never trust, always verify