Gap assessment
Also known as: Gap analysis, Readiness assessment, Maturity assessment
A gap assessment is a process used to compare an organization's current state of security or compliance against a target standard, regulation, or framework. It identifies the specific deficiencies—the "gaps"—between existing controls and those required for full alignment. The result serves as a roadmap for remediation efforts to bring the organization up to the necessary level.
In practice
A practitioner typically performs this during a pre-audit phase by comparing documented policies and technical configurations against a framework checklist, such as ISO 27001 or GDPR. This allows the organization to fix missing controls before a formal third-party auditor arrives for certification.