Framework Security

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of Whitetail Properties Real Estate

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Whitetail Properties Real Estate specializes in buying and selling hunting, ranch, farm, and recreational land across the United States. With a deep understanding of land management, we connect buyers and sellers through our extensive network of expert agents who are passionate about land stewardship. Our team is dedicated to providing unmatched service, helping clients achieve their land ownership dreams while maximizing the value of their property. As a trusted leader in the land real estate market, Whitetail Properties combines local expertise with national reach to deliver exceptional results.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Framework Security to accomplish?

• Modernize our infrastructure to be compliant with all security standards and best practices.
• Continually test for vulnerabilities and rapidly address them.
• Ensure a rapid response team and process is setup to address breaches.

SOLUTION

How did you find Framework Security?

Online Search

Why did you select Framework Security over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Framework Security were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO): Provide a dedicated vCISO along with a team of cybersecurity experts to oversee and implement security strategies.
CIS 18 Assessment: Conduct an assessment based on the CIS 18 framework and offer implementation guidance and support.
Annual Penetration Testing: Perform penetration tests to identify vulnerabilities and provide actionable recommendations.

Cyber Risk Management: Develop and track cybersecurity goals, articulate strategies, define metrics, and communicate progress to executive leadership.

Policy and Compliance Management: Ensure cybersecurity policies are current and relevant, provide best practices compliance reports, and issue letters of attestation.

Vendor Security Management: Review, assess, and negotiate vendor and service provider questionnaires to secure the vendor ecosystem.

Incident Response: Provide support in the event of a breach, including ransomware attacks, and offer a comprehensive response plan.

Threat Intelligence Monitoring: Maintain situational awareness of the cyber threat landscape through ongoing monitoring and analysis.

Enterprise-Level Cybersecurity Portal: Implement a multi-factor authentication-enabled portal for managing the organization’s security program.

Security Documentation: Ensure all cybersecurity documentation is accurate and up-to-date.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Improved Security Posture: Regular vulnerability assessments and annual penetration tests identified and mitigated critical vulnerabilities, reducing the likelihood of breaches and ransomware attacks.

Enhanced Vendor Risk Management: Framework’s review of vendor security questionnaires and ecosystem assessments improved vendor security practices, resulting in fewer third-party-related risks.

Compliance and Certification Confidence: The delivery of compliance reports and letters of attestation helped ensure adherence to best practices and industry standards, increasing confidence during audits and regulatory reviews.

Proactive Threat Monitoring: Access to an elite team of threat analysts and continuous monitoring provided situational awareness of evolving cyber threats, reducing response times to potential incidents.

Incident Response Readiness: Implementation of a robust incident response plan allowed for a faster, more effective response to potential breaches, minimizing downtime and operational impact.

Operational Efficiency Gains: The cybersecurity program portal streamlined workflows by centralizing updates, reports, and risk management actions, saving time on manual processes.

Leadership Alignment: The creation of a prioritized roadmap and regular updates to executive leadership ensured alignment with business objectives and informed decision-making.

Cost Savings: The prevention of potential data breaches and ransomware attacks resulted in measurable cost avoidance associated with remediation, legal fees, and reputational damage.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Working with Framework Security's project management team provided Whitetail Properties with exceptional organization and reliability. Tasks were clearly outlined, meticulously mapped, and accessible at any time, ensuring full transparency. All deliverables were completed on schedule and accompanied by thorough documentation, making it easy to track progress. Framework’s team was always readily available, offering prompt responses to any threats and ensuring quick resolution. Their clear and consistent communication from start to finish created a seamless and efficient partnership, enabling Whitetail Properties to focus on its core operations with confidence.

What was your primary form of communication with Framework Security?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

One of the most valuable aspects of working with Framework Security is their ability to simplify complex challenges and turn difficult tasks into achievable goals. During our initial evaluation, they identified many vulnerabilities and outdated systems. Framework efficiently broke these issues into manageable, prioritized tasks and provided clear leadership, guiding my team through the process. As an executive, I appreciated their ability to work seamlessly with my project lead, ensuring minimal demand on my time while delivering exceptional results.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Framework Security could have done differently?

In all honesty, I can not think of anything that I would change.  They have worked seamlessly with my team, all threats and potential threats have been addressed within 24 hours, and our company is compliant across the board.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Digital Officer of a financial services company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Ours is an international financial and wealth services firm supporting ultra-high net worth private clients and financial institutions, primarily from Latin America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Framework Security to accomplish?

• Improve our cybersecurity
• help us with the policies and procedures
• team training on cybersecurity issues

SOLUTION

How did you find Framework Security?

Online Search

Why did you select Framework Security over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Framework Security were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Dedicated Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO)

• CIS 18 Assessment with Compliance Reports and Letter of Attestation

• Quarterly and Periodic Reporting for Executive Review

• Internal/External Penetration Testing, Internal/External/Office Network/Website Vulnerability/DNS Scans

• Annual Microsoft 365 Security Audits with Annual Executive Briefing

• Incident Response, Privacy and Data Retention Policy creation assistance

• Provide cybersecurity program budget guidance for SEC required tools/solutions and use the allocated funds efficiently and effectively

• Employee Data Breach and Hacker Target Database Monitoring

• Help us comply with SEC incident reporting rules by providing oversight with applicable forms such as Form 8-K, 10-K, and/or 10-Q if needed

• Privacy, Data Retention, Cybersecurity Awareness and Phishing Training with ongoing End User Competency Testing for up to 100 Users

• Oversee recommended implementation projects

• Vendor/Service Provider Questionnaire Review, Completion, and/or Negotiation

• Enterprise-Level Cybersecurity Program Portal with Multi-Factor Authentication and indefinite access

• Managing business continuity in the aftermath of a security incident

• Maintain comprehensive situational awareness of the cyber threat landscape

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

NIST CSF SCORE 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

For project management we used ASANA with a very rigorous control on their part and meeting deadlines.

Yes, They respond to our needs

What was your primary form of communication with Framework Security?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The relationship with the team is impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Framework Security could have done differently?

They can improve in the way they report.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of a fleet management company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a fleet management company. We install hardware/software inside of commercial vehicles and provide a web service for the customers to track and monitor their vehicles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Framework Security to accomplish?

• We acquired a client in the Texas state government and needed to achieve the TX-Ramp security certification. We brought Framework Security on board to help us accomplish that.

SOLUTION

How did you find Framework Security?

Online Search

Why did you select Framework Security over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• experience

How many teammates from Framework Security were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Framework conducted lengthy interviews with our team and analyzed our internal processes in order to generate a Gap analysis showcasing what was necessary to implement on our side in order to achieve compliance. They suggested tools for us to utilize to achieve these goals and attended demos with providers to ensure they met our needs. They worked closely with us to find the tools and systems we needed to implement which fit in our budget.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Generating the Gap Analysis and providing recommendations. Working to gather and provide evidence of compliance. Submission to the state agency and working to remediate any of their concerns.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They were incredibly responsive. They managed our project through Asana which allowed us to understand what was going on and help monitor all the active and assigned tasks. They were very responsive through emails and phone calls. We had a weekly meeting which they always attended even if there weren't many updates.

What was your primary form of communication with Framework Security?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I found them to be very knowledgable and professional. Their project management tools were very well upkept. They were willing to be flexible and accomodate our unique needs. They went above and beyond when it came to creating a cybersecurity training for us.

An excellent company I would be proud to recommend to anyone needing to go through a similar process of gaining cyber security certifications or just general improvement of cybersecurity infrastructure and processes.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Framework Security could have done differently?

Any work for improvement would be done on our end. They moved so quickly and so professionally that they frequently had to wait for our team to catch up. They delivered exactly what we needed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Systems Administrator of Whitetail Properties

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Whitetail Properties is a real estate company that focuses on helping clients buy and sell rural, recreational, and hunting properties. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Framework Security to accomplish?

• Incident Response
• Risk Management

SOLUTION

How did you find Framework Security?

Online Search

Why did you select Framework Security over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Framework Security were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

1. Cybersecurity Risk Assessment and Audit
Scope: Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the client’s current security posture, including identifying vulnerabilities in systems, networks, and data protection protocols. Assess risks associated with existing infrastructure and practices.
Key Deliverables:Detailed cybersecurity risk assessment report.
Vulnerability scan results and analysis.
Risk mitigation recommendations.

2. Network Security Management
Scope: Implement and manage security measures to protect the client’s network infrastructure from unauthorized access, attacks, and data breaches. This includes firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
Key Deliverables:Installation and configuration of firewalls, IDS/IPS, and VPNs.
Ongoing monitoring and analysis of network traffic.
Periodic network security audit and reporting.
Incident response for network breaches or attacks.
 

3. Endpoint Protection
Scope: Deploy endpoint protection tools to safeguard devices (computers, smartphones, tablets, etc.) that access the client’s network, ensuring they are free from malware, ransomware, or unauthorized access.
Key Deliverables:Installation of antivirus, anti-malware, and endpoint detection and response (EDR) software.
Endpoint monitoring and protection management.
Regular updates and patches for endpoint security.
Incident response protocols for compromised endpoints.

4. Incident Response and Crisis Management
Scope: Develop an incident response plan and provide rapid response to cyberattacks, such as data breaches, ransomware, or system compromises. Assist in recovering from attacks and mitigating further damage.
Key Deliverables:Incident response plan, including roles and procedures.
Real-time response during cybersecurity incidents (breach containment, system recovery).
Post-incident analysis and forensic investigation report.
Recommendations to prevent future incidents.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

1.Reduction in Security vulnerabilities

2.Successful alignment with key cybersecurity standards and regulatory requirements.

3.Increased security awareness among employees.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Their project management approach is highly professional, organized, and efficient. From the outset, they set clear expectations, defined timelines, and delivered on their commitments, ensuring the cybersecurity project was executed smoothly and on schedule.

What was your primary form of communication with Framework Security?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The most impressive and unique aspect of Framework is its proactive and tailored approach to cybersecurity. They took the time to deeply understand our specific business needs, existing infrastructure, and the unique threats facing our organization. This customized approach was evident in every project phase, from initial assessments to final implementations.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Framework Security could have done differently?

NA

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of a software company that provides cloud intake solutions to the legal field.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Framework Security?

We were looking for someone to come in and find vulnerabilities in our flagship SaaS product, fix those issues, and guide our developers in using best security practices during the development process.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched online and researched various security firms. Framework fit what we were looking for.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The perfomed a thorough security audit of our web application and identified potential risks. They performed penetration testing to check for vulnerabilities. They outlined a course of action for fixing those vulnerabilities, performed many of the fixes themselves, and provided security recommendations.

They also met with the developers to ensure the developers were following those recommendations.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We had a primary virtual CISO, a case manager, and penetration testers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They were able to identity risks, mitigate those risks, advise our developers on best practices and ensure compliance, and generally provided us peace of mind.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The kept us updated, finished work on time always, checked in regularly, and followed up regularly.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They're highly professional, highly competent, and were able to give us the service we needed at price point we could afford. Jerry, who was our CISO was dogged in his approach to ensuring our developers followed best practices even though there was some resistence to this in the beginning, and this was much appreciated.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own an accounting firm and want to rest assured I am doing all I can to protect client data while tax preparation fraud is on the rise.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Framework Security?

I began searching for a cybersecurity firm that could help me understand if the software vendors and 3rd parties I am utilizing for are adhering to cybersecurity best practices as well.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

After contacting nearly a dozen companies and receiving slow or no responses, I found Framework Security by their 5 Star reviews.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The Framework team phoned me within minutes of filling out a contact form (which I was struggling to get other providers to do), coordinated a virtual meeting to discuss our needs in less than 2 hours, built trust, reassured me that they could help, and had a proposal to me by the end of the day.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked with managing partners, Jerry Sanchez and Tara Anderson.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They proposed a CIS18 Assessment to help me understand where my, my IT Service Provider’s, and my Third Party Provider’s cybersecurity practices were Strong, Satisfactory, and Needing Improvement along with the steps and assistance to remediate on the findings.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They performed external penetration testing on my site along with my vendors and solution providers, worked with the IRS on my behalf, and provided an attestation letter of the health of my cybersecurity/privacy practices.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I was operating without delay very quickly and I am very satisfied with the work they completed. I will be recommending them to the tax associations I belong to and my colleagues in the industry.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No issues. They performed perfectly!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Sr. manager IT Infrastructure.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Framework Security?

1. We contracted with Framework to assess our company’s overall security posture using the NIST CSF standard and perform an external pen test.
2. We reviewed a few companies to perform an assessment. We wanted to find the best fit since it was an important goal to review our infrastructure and policies. In the end, it was critical to ensure that we are protecting our IP and data.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We discovered Framework Security by searching for the best partner. They were the best fit based on availability, cost, and technical knowledge.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The Framework team shared their proposal and we agreed on the schedule. We filled out a self-questionnaire that detailed how we are mitigate the controls listed in the NIST CSF framework. Framework reviewed that information and we scheduled a couple meetings to discuss.

They then prioritized the controls that should be the first items we address. For each control they listed recommended actions and solutions along with the costs.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked with managing partners, Jerry and Erkan.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They delivered a completed assessment along with the roadmap to improve our overall security.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They came to our offices to kick off the engagement and then performed the rest remotely. They easily understood our technology in place and provided solutions that were the best bang for our buck.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The results were exactly what we were looking for. We are going to use the next year for our assessment and pen test.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No issues that come to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a property management company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Framework Security?

We became concerned about our security after a few questionable bank transactions. We certainly didn’t have the expertise to determine if we were hacked but the bigger question was what do we need to prevent any issue in the future.

What were your goals for this project?

We didn’t know where to start finding a company that would work with our size. I called around and didn’t have the best luck with companies understanding our needs and explaining what how I could actually use their services. When I talked to Framework Security, I felt they got it and proposed a streamlined approach to deal with my current problem.

SOLUTION

How did you select Framework Security?

We discovered Framework Security online. They immediately jumped in and gave me a step-by-step plan to deal with the bank issues.

Describe the project in detail.

I elected to hire them for their retainer model. It gives me the assurance that my company is has the right software installed and set me up with training to ensure my staff are taking the correct actions to prevent us from being hacked.

What was the team composition?

I worked the managing partners, Jerry and Larry.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They delivered a detailed report of what could be improved, along with the timelines and costs to resolve the “gaps."

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Jerry was awesome to work with, although technical explained things in straight business terms. Larry eased my worry and my staff loved the security awareness training.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We felt we didn’t need a large IT management team, since we think we are pretty savvy when it comes to the normal stuff, but had no knowledge of security. They are the perfect fit for our needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They weren’t the least expensive, but I can see why. They rock and gave me the peace of mind I was looking for.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the President and CEO of Volo Solutions. We provide guest experience & engagement tablets for the hospitality and healthcare industries. We currently service the United States and Canada.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Framework Security?

As a provider of hospitality mobile applications, we wanted to safeguard our customer’s data so we needed a security audit.

What were your goals for this project?

Primary goal was to safeguard our customer’s data - we reviewed a few companies to perform an assessment. We wanted to find the best fit since it it was a critical process for our company.

SOLUTION

How did you select Framework Security?

We found Framework Security through our network. They were the best fit based on availability, cost, and technical knowledge.

Describe the project in detail.

The Framework team shared their proposal and we agreed on the schedule. They reviewed our mobile and web apps. They selected the best tools for the job and their engineer ran through the testing. We received comprehensive reports and suggestions to mitigate any security concerns.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a managing partner, Jerry, and an engineer, Max.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They delivered a completed assessment along with the roadmap to improve our overall security.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They easily understood our technology in place and provided solutions that were the best bang for our buck.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The results were exactly what we were looking for. We are going to continue to use their Virtual CISO service to continue to improve our overall security posture. Their team worked diligently to address our concerns with very easy communication.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't imagine I would change anything except I wish I had found Framework before speaking with any other companies. I would use them again in a heartbeat, and have highly recommended their work to others.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

President - Owner of Company We specialize in creating direct mail fundraising campaigns for nonprofit organizations. We currently work with over 250 nonprofits.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Framework Security?

For a total Cybersecurity assessment and to assist us in being compliant with the new privacy laws the State of California is implementing. We asked Framework to assess our agency’s overall security posture and create a roadmap for improvements.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted an expert to review all the security controls to protect our customer’s data. In addition, we wanted to make sure we were following security best practices. Ultimately, we wanted to protect our customer’s privacy.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found Framework Security on Clutch and after requesting proposals from many other companies. After review, we found they were exactly what we were looking for.

Describe the project in detail.

One of the managing partners The Framework team walked us through the timeline estimate and steps. We filled out a questionnaire around our IT environment. There were several status updates after he talked to a few of our vendors to get a better understanding of the gaps.

At the end, they delivered a prioritized roadmap with a clear list of next steps. Some of action items listed we could perform internally, our other vendors, or Framework themselves.

What was the team composition?

I primarily worked with managing partner, Jerry Sanchez.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They gave us the plan to greatly increase our overall security.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were very knowledgeable about our business model and the technology we have in place. They were also very flexible with our schedules.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was surprised by how easy the whole process was. It gave me the peace of mind we are doing all the right things to secure our systems.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can’t think of anything at the moment. It was very reassuring that Jerry had everything worked out in a road map and guided us through the steps, we found him very helpful, accessible and knowledgeable, Iv'e already recommended his services to other business owners I have relationships with.