Cybersecurity Maturity Models: A Systematic Literature Review

Cybersecurity maturity models (CMMs) are essential for organizations to assess and improve their cybersecurity posture. This systematic literature review provides a comprehensive overview of existing CMMs, their applications, and implications for research and practice. The methodology involves a systematic search of academic databases, yielding a corpus of relevant studies that were analyzed and synthesized. Key findings highlight the diversity of CMMs available, their common components and frameworks, and the challenges and opportunities associated with their implementation. The review underscores the importance of CMMs in enhancing organizational cybersecurity resilience and offers insights for future research and practical applications. The systematic literature review revealed a diverse landscape of cybersecurity maturity models, ranging from generic frameworks to industry-specific standards. Common components identified across these models include governance, risk management, compliance, and technical controls. The review also highlighted the importance of contextual factors, such as organizational culture, size, and sector, in shaping CMM implementation strategies. Challenges encountered in practice include resource constraints, stakeholder engagement, and the dynamic nature of cyber threats. Despite these challenges, CMMs offer significant benefits for organizations seeking to enhance their cybersecurity resilience, including improved risk visibility, decision-making, and resource allocation. Future research should focus on developing tailored maturity models for emerging technologies and sectors and evaluating CMM effectiveness and scalability in diverse organizational contexts. Overall, the SLR’s findings emphasize the importance of CMMs in advancing cybersecurity maturity and resilience across organizations.