Metric Applications Packages from ClearPoint Metrics

Sep 14 2009

ClearPoint Metrics today announced a major expansion to its product offering with the delivery of four new Compliance oriented Metrics Application Packages (MAPS) and the integration of the ClearPoint Security Performance Manager (TM) and its compliance offering into a single solution - The ClearPoint Unified Security Performance and Compliance Manager. The new ClearPoint Compliance MAPS are available for reference in ClearPoint Metrics Catalog(TM) of security metrics and scorecards at http://catalog.clearpointmetrics.com. Access to the catalog is free of charge, and feedback is encouraged.

The new Compliance Packages provide fact based automated metrics that map directly to each of the compliance framework prescribed controls. The metrics are visually presented in scorecards that depict the current state and trend of compliance efforts. This enables organizations to institute "continuous control monitoring and audit process" based on real facts and data rather than opinion and surveys. The recently released packages are:

PCI DSS Compliance Management

SOX Compliance Management

North American Electric Reliability (NERC) Compliance Management

Healthcare Compliance Management

Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)

ClearPoint Metrics Catalog makes available for reference the company's vast research into security metrics and the inventory of know-how needed to consistently and reliably measure, monitor, and communicate the state, business impact, and effectiveness of IT and information security investment initiatives. The Catalog makes it easy to examine the details behind ClearPoint's scorecards, metrics and data adapters. The Catalog includes a series of free downloadable samples of the scorecards and metrics in each Metric Application Package.

"It is becoming increasingly important that organizations automate their security control audit and monitoring functions to both control costs and decrease risk of non-compliance," says Jim Acquaviva CEO of ClearPoint Metrics. "The ClearPoint solution unifies compliance monitoring and corporate performance management (CPM) for security and risk into a single product that addresses both the business intelligence (BI) and C level security intelligence needed to make more effective decisions."

Fundamentally different from all other solutions, ClearPoint's packaged metrics and scorecards are completely data-aware and ready-to-attach to an organization's security and enterprise applications as delivered. Additionally, each Metric and Scorecard is fully customizable with ClearPoint's Metrics Design Studio(TM). All content is based on extensive field research by ClearPoint metrics experts and in collaboration with industry leading organizations, users, and domain experts. Metrics and Scorecards are mapped and cross referenced to both legislative and industry best practice frameworks such as ISO, delivering the know-how needed to provide constant auditing and control monitoring required for IT security governance, risk, and compliance initiatives.

"To improve the effectiveness of CPM and BI investments, consider the following:

• Establish a BI and CPM competency center that brings together business and IT personnel to determine reporting issues and how to align technologies to address any concerns.

• Understand how CPM can benefit the organization, and work in close collaboration to enable CPM platforms that are consistent with the IT portfolio.

• Define and deploy an enterprisewide metrics framework. Organizations need to have a consistent set of clearly defined performance metrics, aligned to corporate strategy and recognizable by all stakeholders."