Resources
GRC Resource Directory
A curated collection of resources our community has found genuinely useful in real GRC work. Everything here is free, low-cost, or widely used in the field.
Got a resource to suggest? Drop it in our Discord or email contact@studygrc.org .
Getting Started
Introductory videos, playlists, and plain-language guides to help newcomers build a solid baseline.
What is GRC in Cybersecurity? (opens in new tab)
An introductory video playlist that explains the basic concepts of GRC for total beginners.
What is GRC & What It's Like (opens in new tab)
A playlist exploring what daily life and common career paths look like for GRC professionals.
How to Make Sense of Cybersecurity Frameworks (opens in new tab)
A beginner-friendly breakdown of major security frameworks and how they fit together.
The Art of Communicating Cyber Risks (opens in new tab)
A video guide by Jax Scott on explaining technical security risks to non-technical business leaders.
GRC for Security Managers: From Checklists to Influence (opens in new tab)
Advice from Kelli and CJ on moving past checkbox compliance to build real operational influence.
How to Sell Security to C-Levels (opens in new tab)
Practical strategies by Chris Brenton on pitching security and compliance budgets to executive leadership.
EFF Surveillance Self-Defense (opens in new tab)
Plain-language guides to digital security and privacy for everyone, published by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
CISA Shields Up (opens in new tab)
Public-facing cyber readiness guidance and basic digital hygiene practices from the US government.
NIST NICE Cybersecurity Resources (opens in new tab)
A curated clearinghouse of tools, activities, and curriculum standards for cybersecurity education and workforce development.
Frameworks & Standards
Industry-standard architectural frameworks and models used to map and guide risk strategies.
NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 (opens in new tab)
The primary standard for structuring cyber defenses, updated to explicitly cover organizations of any size.
NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Corner (opens in new tab)
Tailored quick-start guides and resources specifically designed for small businesses implementing the NIST framework.
NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 (opens in new tab)
The definitive catalog of security and privacy controls for information systems and organizations.
CIS Critical Security Controls v8.1 (opens in new tab)
A prioritized list of 18 technical actions designed to stop the most common network cyber attacks.
Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Cloud Controls Matrix (opens in new tab)
A specialized control framework designed specifically to review security across cloud environments.
ISO/IEC 27001 Overview (opens in new tab)
Information regarding the global benchmark standard for setting up an information security management system.
MITRE ATT&CK (opens in new tab)
A globally accessible knowledge base documenting real-world adversary tactics and techniques.
MITRE D3FEND (opens in new tab)
A knowledge graph of cybersecurity countermeasures, mapping defensive techniques to the specific ATT&CK techniques they address.
MITRE ATLAS (opens in new tab)
A knowledge base of adversary tactics, techniques, and case studies for AI systems, built on the ATT&CK framework.
Compliance & Regulations
Portals and official documentation for mandatory legal frameworks, industry mandates, and data privacy laws.
Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) (opens in new tab)
Core details on the strict EU rules governing IT risks, third-party vendor audits, and incident reporting.
GDPR.eu Compliance Guide (opens in new tab)
A plain-language directory containing templates and checklists to help meet European privacy requirements.
HIPAA Guidance for Professionals (opens in new tab)
Official federal guidelines from HHS outlining compliance requirements for protecting patient medical records.
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) (opens in new tab)
The official California Attorney General portal covering consumer privacy rights and business obligations.
Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) (opens in new tab)
The standardized baseline framework for assessing the operational security of cloud services used by governments.
GovRamp (formerly StateRAMP) (opens in new tab)
A unified framework for state and local government cloud security authorizations, streamlining vendor assessments across jurisdictions.
PCI DSS v4 (opens in new tab)
The official Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard requirements and resources for handling credit card data.
CMMC (opens in new tab)
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification guidelines for defense industrial base contractors.
IAPP Privacy Resources (opens in new tab)
The International Association of Privacy Professionals' hub for privacy laws, certifications, and compliance guidance worldwide.
Open-Source GRC Platforms
Free, open-source, or local-first software platforms to replace manual spreadsheets and manage compliance evidence.
CISA Cyber Security Evaluation Tool (CSET) (opens in new tab)
A free desktop application from CISA to run structured posture assessments against major baselines.
CISO Assistant (opens in new tab)
An open-source, local-first platform with automated control mapping and built-in risk quantification.
OpenVAS (opens in new tab)
A full-featured open-source vulnerability scanner maintained by Greenbone.
CSF Tools (opens in new tab)
The Cybersecurity Framework for Humans — an accessible, navigable reference for NIST CSF.
Risk Management & Quantification
Frameworks and methodologies for identifying, assessing, and measuring organizational risk in meaningful, actionable terms.
The FAIR Institute (opens in new tab)
The official home of the Factor Analysis of Information Risk model used to calculate risk in precise financial terms.
How to Measure Anything in Cybersecurity Risk (opens in new tab)
A clear video breakdown introducing the math models required to quantify cyber exposure accurately.
NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) (opens in new tab)
The structured government process for integrating security and risk management into system lifecycles.
NIST SP 800-30 Rev. 1 (opens in new tab)
The primary playbook for identifying, assessing, and evaluating information security risks.
NIST SP 800-37 Rev. 2 (opens in new tab)
The Risk Management Framework for information systems and organizations — a guide for applying the RMF.
NIST SP 800-39 (opens in new tab)
Managing Information Security Risk — organization-wide guidance for risk governance and strategy.
ISO 31000 (opens in new tab)
The generic international standard detailing overarching guidelines and principles for corporate risk handling.
Operational Toolkits & Templates
Ready-made, customizable policy documents, exercise packages, and trackers to avoid building from scratch.
SANS Information Security Policy Templates (opens in new tab)
A repository of over 60 free, clean policy files covering acceptable use, passwords, and data handling.
HIPAA Cow Free Resources (opens in new tab)
Free security policy drafts, cross-mappings, and assessment grids for healthcare compliance managers.
IT Audit Report Examples (opens in new tab)
A public document containing real-world examples of structured IT audit reports for reference.
CISO 90 DAY Checklist (opens in new tab)
A toolkit and checklist designed to guide a new security leader through their first 90 days.
CIS Benchmarks (opens in new tab)
Prescriptive configuration recommendations for hardening operating systems and software.
Privacy Guides (opens in new tab)
Privacy-focused tools, services, and operational knowledge maintained by a volunteer community.
Education & Free Training
Instructor-led training programs, open video paths, and academies that teach core practical GRC skills.
Antisyphon Training (Pay Forward What You Can) (opens in new tab)
Live and recorded cybersecurity training paths utilizing flexible pricing models for those on tight budgets.
Simply Cyber - GRC Jumpstart (opens in new tab)
A highly accessible foundational course geared toward building real tactical compliance skills.
Getting Started in Security (John Strand) (opens in new tab)
A foundational video playlist linking passive compliance concepts to real hands-on security practice.
Information Security Core Skills (John Strand) (opens in new tab)
A playlist building practical information security skills from the ground up, taught by an experienced practitioner.
SOC Core Skills (John Strand) (opens in new tab)
A hands-on playlist covering the fundamentals of working in a Security Operations Center.
Active Defense & Cyber Deception (John Strand) (opens in new tab)
A playlist exploring proactive defense strategies, threat hunting, and cyber deception techniques.
Google Cybersecurity Certificate (opens in new tab)
An introductory path covering Linux files, networking models, and risk baselines to prepare learners for careers.
Professor Messer Security+ Training (opens in new tab)
Free, cleanly indexed video lessons explaining core administrative and technical security rules.
SANS Cyber Aces (opens in new tab)
Free online tutorials on the fundamentals of cybersecurity provided by the SANS Institute.
Certifications
Study portals and details for industry-recognized certifications that formally validate GRC knowledge.
ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) (opens in new tab)
A beginner-level security certificate with free official online study materials. No experience required.
CompTIA Security+ (opens in new tab)
The prominent foundational standard exam proving broad understanding of core access and security rules.
IAPP CIPP/US (opens in new tab)
A rigorous privacy certification focused entirely on understanding United States privacy laws and regulations.
CSA CCSK (opens in new tab)
The Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge, validating competence in securing cloud-based infrastructure. No experience required.
ISACA CISA (opens in new tab)
The global benchmark credential for auditing information systems and controls. Requires five years of professional experience in information systems auditing, control, or security.
ISACA CISM (opens in new tab)
A management-focused designation on governance, incident management, and corporate risk. Requires five years of information security management experience.
ISACA CRISC (opens in new tab)
A certification for IT professionals specializing in enterprise risk management. Requires three years of experience in IT risk management and information systems control.
ISC2 CGRC (opens in new tab)
A specialized exam track on risk management policies and federal system authorizations. Requires two years of cumulative paid work experience in one or more of the seven domains.
K-12 Education
Vetted training plans, interactive modules, and curriculum frameworks designed to bring cyber topics to schools.
CyberPatriot (opens in new tab)
A national student education program centered on securing virtual systems and testing basic defenses.
Cyber.org Standards (opens in new tab)
Free, structured lesson plans and hands-on modular curriculum aligned to national academic metrics.
CISA Cybersecurity for K-12 Teachers (opens in new tab)
CISA-provided portals offering professional development pathways, tools, and classroom training tips.
Fortinet Security Awareness Training (K-12) (opens in new tab)
A custom security awareness module aimed directly at mitigating specific risks within school networks.
Microsoft K-12 Cybersecurity Resilience (opens in new tab)
A free training module equipping educators with strategies to build a cyber-aware culture using familiar tools.
Career Development & News
Strategic advice repositories, heatmaps, and investigative tracking sites for job market alignment and industry news.
Infosec Job Hunting w/ BanjoCrashland (opens in new tab)
A solid video sequence detailing targeted resume advice, application tricks, and interview steps.
CyberSeek (opens in new tab)
An interactive mapping tool showing geographic job gaps and necessary skill pathways across the US.
Google Career Dreamer (opens in new tab)
A helpful AI-powered utility built to analyze personal skill trends and match them against job openings.
CISO MindMap 2025 (opens in new tab)
A visual breakdown detailing the actual day-to-day responsibilities of information security professionals.
Dark Reading (opens in new tab)
A widely read cybersecurity news site covering threats, vulnerabilities, and industry analysis.
Corporate Compliance Insights (opens in new tab)
A media site sharing global case studies and practical analysis on risk oversight and compliance trends.
BleepingComputer (opens in new tab)
A highly trusted source for breaking cybersecurity news, detailed malware analysis, and free removal guides.
Darknet Diaries (opens in new tab)
A popular podcast covering the true stories of hacks, data breaches, and cybercrime.
Communities & Networking
Active community forums and chat rooms for instant advice, peer support, and resource sharing.
Study GRC Discord (opens in new tab)
Our dedicated text and voice server for daily discussion, peer support, and community problem-solving.
Black Hills InfoSec Discord (opens in new tab)
A large chat community sharing active threat defense tips and live webcast notes.
Cooey COE Discord (opens in new tab)
An active community of excellence focusing on baseline compliance reviews and peer validation.
GRC / Audit Treasure Trove (opens in new tab)
A collaboration server dedicated to sharing real internal audit procedures and review guides.
r/GRC (opens in new tab)
A dedicated Reddit community for discussing the nuances of governance, risk, and compliance.