Patroklos PatroklouBeyond the Checklist: Mastering the NCSC CAF 4.0 with Enactia
In 2026, the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) 4.0 has become the mandatory baseline for the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and the wider public sector. With the introduction of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, CAF alignment is no longer “best practice”—it is the standard by which UK regulators judge your operational credibility.
Unlike traditional control-based frameworks, the CAF is outcomes-based. It doesn’t ask if you have a firewall; it asks if you can demonstrate that your “essential functions” are resilient against a sophisticated adversary.
The CAF 4.0 Shift: What’s New in 2026?
The latest iteration of the CAF reflects a much more hostile threat landscape. Regulators are now scrutinizing:
Adversary-Focused Defences: You must prove your controls are mapped to the specific TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures) of threat actors targeting your sector.
AI Risk Governance: Explicit requirements for managing the security of AI models and their data supply chains.
Supply Chain “Nth-Party” Visibility: Moving beyond primary vendors to understand the resilience of the subcontractors they depend on.
[Image: A high-level diagram of the 4 CAF Objectives: Managing Security Risk, Protecting against Cyber Attack, Detecting Events, and Minimising Impact.]
Why “Manual” CAF Assessments Fail
The CAF is composed of 4 Objectives, 14 Principles, and 41 Contributing Outcomes. For each outcome, you must meet various Indicators of Good Practice (IGPs).
The Problem: Trying to manage 41 dynamic outcomes in a spreadsheet leads to “Evidence Fragmentation.” When a regulator asks for proof of Objective C (Detection), you spend weeks hunting for logs, screenshots, and policy docs.
The Risk: A “Not Achieved” status on even a few key outcomes can lead to regulatory intervention or loss of “Essential Service” status under the UK NIS Regulations.
How Enactia Automates the CAF Journey
Enactia transforms the CAF from a daunting 100-page document into a manageable, automated workflow.
1. Automated IGP Mapping
Stop starting from zero. Enactia’s Compliance Universe automatically maps your existing ISO 27001, SOC 2, or Cyber Essentials controls directly to CAF 4.0 principles. If you’ve already secured your identities for another audit, Enactia marks the corresponding CAF IGP as “Achieved.”
2. Real-Time Maturity Scoring (Red/Amber/Green)
Our dashboard provides an instant, live view of your CAF status. You can toggle between “Baseline” and “Enhanced” profiles depending on your sector’s requirements, instantly seeing where your gaps lie before an independent assessor arrives.
3. The “Assurance Export” for NCSC Auditors
When it’s time for a formal review, Enactia generates a comprehensive evidence package. It organizes every policy, incident log, and technical control under the correct CAF outcome, significantly reducing the time and cost of external audits.
4. Supply Chain Resilience (Objective A4)
Enactia’s Vendor Management Portal allows you to flow CAF security requirements down to your suppliers. You can monitor their adherence to CAF 4.0 outcomes in real-time, ensuring your supply chain isn’t the weak link in your national resilience.
Future-Proof Your Resilience
The UK government is expanding the CAF to new sectors—including Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and data centers—throughout 2026. Whether you are directly regulated or a “critical supplier,” the CAF is your roadmap to security maturity.
Move from “Tick-Box” compliance to genuine national resilience.
