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SP 1347Final2026

NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0: Informative References Quick-Start Guide

At a glanceExplains informative references: crosswalks that connect each CSF outcome to sections of other standards, such as SP 800-53 or other control sets. Useful when you need to show how district practices line up with a specific standard.

Reading level
Practitioner
Length
10 pages · about 15 min for the key parts
Best for
Technology directors, IT staff and service partners
CSF 2.0
Govern, Identify
Read it on NIST DOI 10.6028/NIST.SP.1347 ↗

Browse the full library. 70 NIST publications summarized for school districts.

NIST library

Key concepts

The guide describes three ways to get NIST's reference mappings: a spreadsheet download, the CSF 2.0 Reference Tool and the Online Informative References (OLIR) program, with example uses including AI-assisted analysis of the reference data.

How it is organized

  • What informative references are
  • Option 1: download all references as a spreadsheet
  • Option 2: the CSF 2.0 Reference Tool
  • Option 3: the Online Informative References program (OLIR)
  • Sample use cases

What a school district should take from it

  • You can trace a rubric category to the CSF outcome and then to detailed controls without building the mapping yourself.
  • Mappings help when an insurer, auditor or grant asks about a specific standard.

How to use it in your district

  1. Use the CSF 2.0 Reference Tool to export the outcomes and references for one function you are working on.
  2. Keep a short crosswalk in your evidence when a questionnaire cites a specific standard.
  3. Check the program's built-in crosswalks before building your own.

Common misconceptions

A mapping proves compliance with the other standard.
A reference shows related content, not that your practice meets the other standard's requirements.

Rubric categories and K12 Cyber Forward tools

Cybersecurity Rubric 2.0 categories

  • GV.POPolicy
  • ID.IMImprovement

Tools in the program portal

Related publications

Citation and source

SP 1347, NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0: Informative References Quick-Start Guide. National Institute of Standards and Technology. 2026. https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1347.

Replaces: SP 1347 initial public draft (2026-03-23).

Topics: Frameworks and profiles, Control catalogs and assessment. This summary was written by the K12 Cyber Forward program team in its own words. NIST is not affiliated with the program and has not reviewed it. The official publication on csrc.nist.gov controls.