Licensing the Cybersecurity Sustainability Standard™ and Framework™

The Cybersecurity Sustainability Standard™ is a governance instrument containing 164 controls across five dimensions, three-tier evidence criteria, and a certification architecture designed to codify what sustainable cybersecurity governance requires at the institutional level. The Cybersecurity Sustainability Framework™ is the governing intellectual architecture that defines the five-dimensional model, the cross-cutting principles, and the analytic structure the Standard operationalizes.

Together, they constitute the full governance ecosystem created by Veda T. Woods and published by Global Cyber Security Advisory Group.

The Cybersecurity Sustainability Standard™ Founder's Edition is published under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 for open access, academic citation, and professional reference. Commercial use, implementation within revenue-generating services, and derivative application require a formal license from Global Cyber Security Advisory Group.

What a License Allows You to Do

A license authorizes practitioners and organizations to apply the Cybersecurity Sustainability Standard™ and Framework™ within the scope of their licensing agreement.

Depending on the license type, authorized activities may include:

• Conducting cybersecurity sustainability governance and maturity assessments

• Applying the Standard’s 164 controls and associated evaluation criteria

• Developing institutional readiness assessments and governance improvement roadmaps

• Integrating the Framework’s five-dimensional governance architecture into organizational practices

• Using approved implementation tools, templates, and assessment resources

• Delivering advisory services or training where expressly authorized

• Supporting institutional capacity development and knowledge transfer

Specific permissions, resources, and implementation rights are established through the applicable licensing agreement.

What a License Does Not Allow

The published Cybersecurity Sustainability Standard™ Founder’s Edition is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license, which permits noncommercial sharing of the unmodified publication with appropriate attribution.

Without additional authorization, the public license does not permit:

• Commercial use or distribution of the published Standard

• Distribution of modified versions of the published Standard

• Repackaging or selling proprietary implementation resources

• Offering training or commercial services under a GCS Advisory Group licensing designation

• Claiming authorized practitioner, organizational, or training partner status

• Using GCS Advisory Group trademarks or licensing credentials without permission

Commercial implementation rights, training authorization, and access to proprietary resources are governed by separate licensing agreements.

Who Licensing Is For

Licensing supports institutions and professionals seeking to integrate Cybersecurity Sustainability™ into governance, risk management, institutional development, and operational resilience.

Eligible audiences include:

• Governments and public-sector institutions

• International development and humanitarian organizations

• Critical infrastructure and essential service providers

• Financial services and other regulated industries

• Healthcare and public health organizations

• Educational institutions and workforce development providers

• Consulting and professional advisory firms

• Private-sector organizations managing digital and emerging technology risks

Licensing arrangements are structured according to the intended use, organizational requirements, and scope of implementation.