The NIST Cybersecurity Framework, or CSF, gives organizations a common way to describe and manage cybersecurity risk. Version 2.0 organizes desired outcomes into six functions: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover. The newer Govern function makes strategy, oversight and responsibilities explicit.
A small business can use the framework to map important systems, decide who owns security decisions, limit access, monitor for attacks, create a response plan and practice restoring operations. The framework describes outcomes to achieve rather than prescribing one particular set of products.
It is not a certification by itself, and using its terminology does not prove that controls work. Organizations differ in size, threat exposure and legal obligations, so they need to select priorities and assess actual implementation rather than treat every activity as an equal checkbox.
Start by identifying critical assets and current controls, then document gaps and responsible owners. Review the NIST CSF 2.0 Core and Profiles to set a target state and track measurable improvements over time.