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The CIS Security Benchmarks are a collection of security standards and best practices maintained by the Center for Internet Security (CIS). This collection is widely used as a reference standard by information security professionals, auditors and compliance officers. It covers a comprehensive range of technology areas, such as operating systems, applications and devices.

One of the primary benefits of CIS Benchmarks is that they provide organizations with a standardized approach to cybersecurity assessments. This approach enables businesses to quickly identify the areas of their networks that are most vulnerable to attack, while at the same time taking into account their specific requirements and resources.

CIS Benchmarks are broadly divided into two categories: Level 1 – foundational guidelines, and Level 2 – hardened configurations. These two levels offer organizations the ability to customize their approach based upon their specific priorities and needs.

CIS Benchmarks are made available as spreadsheets, which makes it easy to assess the relative security of any given environment. This is an especially useful feature for auditors and compliance officers who must quickly evaluate the effectiveness of managed services, cloud providers, and systems health.

The CIS Benchmark spreadsheets are also a valuable resource for IT operations teams who need to quickly validate the configuration of their systems and applications. This visibility into system configurations enables teams to quickly identify vulnerabilities and take corrective actions.

In addition, the CIS Benchmark spreadsheets provide high-level guidelines and recommendations for each technology domain. This makes them a valuable tool for security professionals who are developing comprehensive security strategies for their organization.

Overall, the CIS Security Benchmarks along with their accompanying spreadsheets provide a practical and powerful foundation for any organization looking to secure their networks, systems, and applications. The spreadsheets offer quick and easy-to-understand visibility into security gaps and the associated risks, enabling organizations to take prompt and effective corrective action. As such, the CIS Benchmark spreadsheets are a critical tool for any organization striving to improve their security posture.