U.S. Texas DIR Control Standards 2.0 — State Agency Security Control Standards

Why it Matters

The Texas DIR Control Standards 2.0 establish a consistent securitybaseline to help state agencies mitigate cyber risks and fulfillstatutory obligations.

Key benefits include:

• Strengthen cybersecurity governance

Enable agenciesto implement structured oversight, ensuring responsibilities andsecurity priorities are clearly defined and regularly reviewed.

• Support compliance with state regulations

Facilitatecontinuous alignment with Texas statutes, reducing compliance gapsand supporting fulfillment of required reporting obligations.

• Enhance operational resilience

Minimize servicedisruptions and strengthen business continuity by promotingrisk-based planning and resiliency strategies.

• Improve incident response readiness

Enable fasteridentification, reporting, and management of security incidentsthrough established protocols and response processes.

• Promote consistent data protection

Standardizesafeguards to protect sensitive and regulated agency information fromunauthorized access, loss, or disclosure.

How it Works

The U.S. Texas DIR Control Standards 2.0 framework structures itssecurity requirements into comprehensive control families that alignwith key governance domains, such as access control, risk management,incident response, and system integrity. These controls are tailoredfor Texas state agencies and are mapped to regulatory expectationsand best practices established by NIST SP 800-53. The frameworkestablishes a common control catalog, which serves as the foundationfor assessing, implementing, and maintaining security safeguardsacross state entities.

In practice, organizations implement Texas DIR Control Standards 2.0by evaluating current security controls, conducting risk assessments,and mapping controls to organizational governance and complianceprograms. Agencies routinely assess compliance, document controleffectiveness, monitor security practices, and address any identifiedgaps. The framework also guides periodic monitoring, auditpreparation, and supports ongoing risk management to ensure continuedalignment with state regulatory requirements.

SmartSuite enables organizations to operationalize the Texas DIRControl Standards 2.0 by utilizing built-in control libraries,maintaining centralized risk registers, and supporting policygovernance documentation. Teams can collect and manage evidence,track compliance status, initiate remediation workflows, and preparefor audits using dashboards and reporting features that providevisibility into security controls, risk management activities, andoverall compliance posture.

Key Elements

• Control Standard Families

Organizesrequirements into groups addressing specific areas such as accessmanagement, incident response, and system integrity.

• Risk Assessment Processes

Describesstructured procedures for evaluating, documenting, and mitigatingsecurity risks to state information assets.

• Governance and Oversight Structure

Establishespolicies, roles, and responsibilities to ensure compliance andeffective security program management.

• Technical Safeguard Requirements

Specifiestechnical control measures for protecting systems, includingencryption and configuration management.

• Physical and Environmental Protections

Outlinesstandards for securing physical infrastructure and managingenvironmental risks to information technology assets.

• Personnel Security Controls

Definesrequirements for staff training, background checks, and ongoingpersonnel security awareness.

• Continuous Monitoring Activities

Describesprocesses for ongoing evaluation and review of implemented securitycontrols and compliance status.

Framework Scope

The Texas DIR Control Standards 2.0 is adopted by Texas stateagencies and entities managing government data and IT systems. Itgoverns security controls, data protection, and risk managementacross networks, endpoints, and information systems, and is typicallyimplemented to satisfy state regulatory requirements and improveregulatory compliance oversight and operational resilience.

Framework Objectives

U.S. Texas DIR Control Standards 2.0 sets clear expectations forstate agencies to manage cybersecurity risks and safeguard sensitivedata.

Strengthen cybersecurity risk management practices across stateagency operations

Enhance governance and oversight of security controls and procedures

Support compliance with relevant regulatory and statutoryrequirements

Promote operational resilience and continuity through robust securitycontrols

Improve data protection and privacy for citizen and organizationalinformation

Enable increased audit readiness by maintaining effectivedocumentation and evidence The Texas DIR Control Standards 2.0 alignwith frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53, CIS Controls, and ISO 27001,providing state agencies with tailored security control requirements.Organizations typically implement these standards to meet stateregulatory compliance, improve security governance, and ensurealignment with broader federal and industry cybersecurityexpectations.

Framework in Context

The Texas DIRControl Standards 2.0 align with frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53,CIS Controls, and ISO 27001, providing state agencies with tailoredsecurity control requirements. Organizations typically implementthese standards to meet state regulatory compliance, improve securitygovernance, and ensure alignment with broader federal and industrycybersecurity expectations.

Common Framework Mappings

Texas DIR Control Standards 2.0 is often mapped to widely adoptedcybersecurity and privacy frameworks to facilitate regulatoryalignment, simplify audits, bridge gaps, and streamline enterprisecompliance initiatives across various industries.

Mapped frameworks include:

CIS Controls

COBIT

CJIS Security Policy

FedRAMP

HIPAA Security Rule

ISO/IEC 27001

NIST Cybersecurity Framework

NIST SP 800-53

PCI DSS

SOC 2

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