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Governance, Risk, Audit & Privacy · Intermediate

Maturity Model

Structured scale for measuring the capability and consistency of processes from ad hoc to optimized.

Definition

Maturity models such as CMMI, COBIT capability levels, the Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model (C2M2), and the Privacy Maturity Model help organizations benchmark and plan improvements. They typically range from initial or ad hoc to optimized. Targets should reflect risk and business need, not maximum level everywhere.

Example

A gap assessment rates incident response at level 2 and sets a target of level 3 within a year.

Exam tip

Higher maturity is not always the goal; target maturity should be risk-justified.

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