Cybersecurity Architecture
Security Architecture Frameworks Explained: SABSA, TOGAF & NIST
Security architecture frameworks provide structured methodologies for designing and evaluating security controls. SABSA is business-driven and risk-focused, TOGAF integrates security into enterprise architecture, and NIST CSF provides a practical risk management structure. Choose based on organizational maturity, existing architecture practices, and regulatory context.
Andreas Johansson · Chief Executive Officer
Senior IT management leader with 25 years of experience in Cloud, Security, and Datacenter infrastructure.
Why Use a Framework?
Frameworks prevent ad hoc security design by providing structured, repeatable approaches to architecture decisions. They ensure completeness, alignment with business objectives, and a common language across teams.
Key Frameworks
SABSA (Sherwood Applied Business Security Architecture)
- Business-driven, risk-focused
- Layered model: contextual, conceptual, logical, physical, component, operational
- Strong alignment between business requirements and security controls
- Best for: organizations that need security tied to business outcomes
TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework)
- Enterprise architecture framework with security integration
- ADM (Architecture Development Method) includes security at each phase
- Best for: organizations already using TOGAF for enterprise architecture
NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
- Practical, risk-based approach
- Five functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover
- Widely adopted, especially in regulated industries
- Best for: organizations that need a pragmatic starting point
Zero Trust Architecture (NIST SP 800-207)
- Assumes no implicit trust
- Verify every access request regardless of network location
- Best for: organizations modernizing access controls
Choosing a Framework
Consider:
- Organizational maturity and existing architecture practices
- Regulatory requirements
- Whether you need business alignment (SABSA) or practical implementation (NIST)
- Integration with existing governance
How SeqOps fits
SeqOps scans the configuration of your cloud accounts and Windows and Linux servers continuously and automatically, and ranks every misconfiguration and vulnerability from Critical to Informational in one view, so you can see where your environment drifts from the design you intended.