CSET
CISA Cyber Security Evaluation Tool for structured ICS and IT posture assessment.
Technical Architecture & Overview
CSET is a free desktop application from CISA that guides organizations through a self-assessment of their cybersecurity posture against standards such as IEC 62443, NIST, and NERC CIP. It combines questionnaire-driven standards analysis with network diagrams and asset import from Malcolm network traffic analysis. The tool produces summary and detailed reports with recommendations for improving cybersecurity posture.
Targeted Technical Use Cases
Structured OT/ICS self-assessment against recognized standards without external assessors.
Evaluation & Trade-offs
Core Strengths
- +Free, developed by CISA and Idaho National Laboratory.
- +Standards mapping across major ICS frameworks.
- +Supports questionnaire answers, network diagrams, and Malcolm asset import.
Trade-Offs & Limitations
- -Assessment quality depends on the honesty of questionnaire inputs.
- -Native installers are Windows-only; macOS and Linux need Docker.
Defensive Security Application
Identifying control gaps in ICS environments and building a remediation roadmap against standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CSET?→
CSET is a free desktop application from CISA that guides organizations through a self-assessment of their cybersecurity posture against standards such as IEC 62443, NIST, and NERC CIP. It combines questionnaire-driven standards analysis with network diagrams and asset import from Malcolm network traffic analysis. The tool produces summary and detailed reports with recommendations for improving cybersecurity posture.
What is CSET used for?→
Structured OT/ICS self-assessment against recognized standards without external assessors.
What are the strengths of CSET?→
- +Free, developed by CISA and Idaho National Laboratory.
- +Standards mapping across major ICS frameworks.
- +Supports questionnaire answers, network diagrams, and Malcolm asset import.
What are the limitations of CSET?→
- +Assessment quality depends on the honesty of questionnaire inputs.
- +Native installers are Windows-only; macOS and Linux need Docker.
How is CSET used defensively?→
Identifying control gaps in ICS environments and building a remediation roadmap against standards.