What Exactly Is NIST? WHAT EXACTLY IS NIST? Regardless of your organization's industry or size, you must have heard of the word 'NIST' one way or the other. So what exactly is it, and how does it apply to your enterprise? For starters, it's commonly used when referring to technology, and particularly on cybersecurity issues. Like most concepts in these two fields, NIST is sophisticated and simple at the same time. It's sophisticated because you need a substantial amount of background knowledge to have a clear understanding of what it means. Once you have this subject-matter expertise, NIST becomes a straightforward concept that's very easy to grasp.  WHAT EXACTLY IS NIST? The acronym stands for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. It was founded by Congress back in 1901 to sustain and promote healthy competition in Science and Technology across the U.S. NIST was equally tasked with overseeing the harnessing of science and technology to safeguard our economic security and improve the quality of life for the U.S. citizen. HOW IS NIST RELATED TO CYBERSECURITY? NIST is a vast concept; however, it has recently been synonymous with regulating the creation, use, and dissemination of technology. With computers and the internet becoming so ubiquitous, it has become necessary for the government to control their use and establish standardized best practices. NIST is the authoritative body mandated w...