Cybersecurity isn’t static—it’s a journey. Organizations evolve from basic protection to advanced, adaptive resilience. But without a structured roadmap, many institutions find themselves stuck at a reactive stage, constantly firefighting threats instead of proactively managing them.
In Saudi Arabia, the Cybersecurity Framework provides financial institutions with exactly that roadmap: a maturity model that helps them measure where they are today, identify gaps, and plan improvements for tomorrow. By tying cybersecurity progress to business strategy, the framework ensures that security grows in lockstep with innovation.
This blog explores how the framework defines maturity, why it matters, the challenges of moving up the ladder, and how solutions like Sahl compliance can accelerate progress.
What does cybersecurity maturity mean?
Cybersecurity maturity refers to the level of sophistication an organization has in protecting, detecting, responding to, and recovering from cyber threats. At lower levels, institutions may have ad hoc processes or minimal controls. At higher levels, they demonstrate proactive, integrated, and automated resilience.
Maturity isn’t about perfection—it’s about continuous improvement. The SAMA Cybersecurity Framework provides a model for assessing maturity across multiple domains, helping organizations move beyond checklists toward strategic capability.
Why maturity matters in financial services
Financial institutions in Saudi Arabia face a unique combination of pressures:
- High-value targets – Banks and fintechs are prime targets for cybercriminals.
- Regulatory scrutiny – Authorities demand accountability for customer protection.
- Innovation demands – Vision 2030 initiatives push rapid digital adoption.
- Customer expectations – Trust is fragile and depends on visible security.
Maturity ensures that institutions are not just compliant but resilient. The higher their maturity, the more confidently they can innovate, expand, and engage with customers and partners.
The SAMA maturity model explained
The SAMA Cybersecurity Framework introduces a maturity model that categorizes institutions across several levels. While details may vary depending on the domain, the general progression looks like this:
- Initial (Ad hoc) – Processes are informal, reactive, and inconsistent.
- Repeatable – Some controls exist, but they are not fully standardized.
- Defined – Processes are documented, structured, and consistently applied.
- Managed – Cybersecurity is measured, monitored, and aligned with business needs.
- Optimized – Controls are proactive, automated, and continuously improved.
Institutions are required to assess themselves, report their maturity, and set board-approved roadmaps for improvement.
Where do most institutions stand today?
Many Saudi financial organizations fall somewhere in the repeatable to defined range. They have established controls and policies but often lack integration, automation, or advanced analytics.
This is natural—maturity takes time and resources. However, with rising threats and stricter enforcement, institutions must climb higher on the maturity ladder sooner rather than later.
Key challenges in improving maturity
Climbing the maturity ladder isn’t simple. Common barriers include:
- Legacy systems – Older infrastructure may not support advanced controls.
- Skills shortages – Expertise in advanced cybersecurity is in high demand but limited.
- Budget constraints – Higher maturity requires investment in tools and training.
- Cultural resistance – Employees may see new processes as bureaucracy rather than protection.
- Measurement difficulties – Organizations may not know how to assess their true maturity.
Without guidance and tools, progress can stall.
How Sahl compliance accelerates maturity progress
Platforms like Sahl compliance help institutions operationalize the SAMA maturity model by:
- Mapping controls automatically to framework requirements.
- Providing gap analysis dashboards that highlight weak spots.
- Automating evidence collection for maturity reporting.
- Tracking progress over time with visual metrics.
- Integrating vendor and incident data into a single compliance ecosystem.
By reducing manual overhead, Sahl allows organizations to focus on strategic improvements rather than administrative burdens.
Measuring maturity as a business KPI
One of the strengths of the SAMA Cybersecurity Framework is that it elevates maturity to a board-level discussion. Instead of being hidden in IT departments, maturity scores become:
- Strategic KPIs that influence investment decisions.
- Regulatory benchmarks reported to SAMA.
- Trust indicators for customers and partners.
This visibility transforms cybersecurity from a technical concern into a measurable driver of business resilience.
Why continuous improvement is essential
Cyber threats evolve constantly. What is considered “managed” today may be outdated tomorrow. This is why the SAMA model emphasizes continuous improvement, not one-time compliance.
Institutions must build feedback loops—learning from incidents, audits, and assessments to push their maturity upward. With automation and real-time monitoring, this cycle becomes faster and more effective.
Global relevance of Saudi maturity standards
The maturity model also aligns Saudi Arabia’s financial sector with international best practices. By echoing elements of ISO, NIST, and other global standards, the framework ensures that Saudi institutions can demonstrate resilience on the world stage.
This is especially important for cross-border partnerships, foreign investment, and multinational fintech collaborations. A high maturity level signals credibility to global stakeholders.
The road ahead: preparing for tomorrow’s threats
As Saudi Arabia accelerates its digital transformation, the attack surface will continue expanding—through AI, blockchain, and open banking ecosystems. Cybersecurity maturity will determine how well institutions can withstand these future challenges.
Those that remain at lower levels risk falling behind not only in compliance but in competitiveness. Those that climb the maturity ladder will be better positioned to innovate, partner, and thrive.
Final Thoughts
The SAMA Cybersecurity Framework maturity model is more than a regulatory requirement—it’s a blueprint for continuous growth. By helping organizations assess their current state, plan improvements, and measure progress, it transforms cybersecurity into a strategic advantage.
The journey is not without challenges, but tools like Sahl compliance make it practical, efficient, and measurable. Institutions that embrace maturity today are not just securing their systems—they are securing their future.
In a digital-first economy, resilience is the foundation of trust. And with the right maturity roadmap, Saudi Arabia’s financial institutions can ensure they’re always one step ahead.
