In the past two years, two global standards have significantly impacted the security landscape: the first edition of ISO 42001 (2023) and the third edition of ISO 27001 (2022). While they operate similarly, they serve different purposes, and many organizations benefit from implementing one or both.
Is your organization ready for ISO compliance? Schedule a consultation to find out.
ISO 42001 vs ISO 27001 Standard Comparison
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a global leader in publishing, developing, and supporting uniform practices for safety, security, and utility.
Its standards include both industry-specific use cases and broader best practices for any organization to follow. Two such wide-ranging standards, jointly published with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), are ISO/IEC 42001:2023 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022.
To help your organization understand the differences between them, this guide will cover:
- How the ISO 42001 standard governs AI and ML usage
- How the ISO 27001 standard covers general security
- Which standards your organization should comply with and why
- How to implement one or both standards efficiently
Working with a compliance advisory partner like RSI Security is the best way to understand and implement these regulatory standards. They also help you comply with them and maximize their benefits.
Understanding the ISO 42001 Standard
ISO/IEC 42001:2023 Information technology – Artificial intelligence – Management system, better known as just ISO 42001, is a standard for secure, efficient, and fair usage of artificial intelligence management systems (AIMS). Published in 2023 amid growing popularity and concerns about AI in consumer and business technologies, it is the first standard of its kind.
The ISO 42001 standard is structured around 10 clauses. The first three detail its scope and define terms critical to understanding AI. The remaining clauses focus on:
- The context of the organization and its relationship to AI
- Leadership and its role and responsibilities respective to AI
- Organizational planning around AI’s use and development
- Support and resource provision to support AI decision-making
- General operations around AIMS deployment and management
- Regular performance evaluation of AIMS with adjustments as needed
- Commitment to continuous improvement across the AIMS over time
Beyond these principles, ISO 42001 Annex A breaks down specific controls to be followed:
- Control A.2 – Policies related to AI and AIMS
- Control A.3 – Internal organization relevant to AI
- Control A.4 – Resources for AI tools and AIMS
- Control A.5 – Assessing impacts of/on AIMS
- Control A.6 – AIMS lifecycle management
- Control A.7 – Data collection and management
- Control A.8 – Information for interested parties
- Control A.9 – Secure, efficient use of AIMS
- Control A.10 – Relationship management
Complying with the standard starts by systematically implementing all required controls. Next, contact a qualified assessor to conduct an official audit, which will lead to ISO certification.
Understanding the ISO 27001 Standard
ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection – Information security management systems – Requirements, or simply ISO 27001, is a standard for information security management systems (ISMS). Originally published in 2005, it has served as a globally recognized benchmark for nearly 20 years.
Over that time, ISO 27001 has undergone significant changes. This most recent edition brought about some of the most impactful updates, changing the scope of implementation to streamline controls. Whereas the 2013 edition had 114 unique controls, the 2022 edition has just 93. The new edition introduced 11 brand-new controls and condensed 24 from previous editions.
ISO 27001:2022 controls are categorized in Annex A into four groups:
- Annex A 5: Organizational Controls – These are top-down governance controls (37 in total) that stipulate things like roles and responsibilities (A 5.2), how threat intelligence should be collected and used (A 5.7), and how to protect AI-related records (A 5.33).
- Annex A 6: People Controls – These are controls for personnel management (eight in total) that govern things like employment terms (A 6.2) and remote work policies (A 6.7).
- Annex A 7: Physical controls – These are physical and proximal safeguards (14 in total) that require things like perimeter security (A 7.1) and secure disposal (A 7.14).
- Annex A 8: Technological controls – These are configurations (34 in total) applied across software and hardware to ensure things like malware protection (A 8.7), data leakage prevention (A 8.12), network segregation (A 8.22), and secure coding practices (A 8.28).
As with ISO 42001, achieving compliance with ISO 27001 requires implementing all of these controls and conducting an official assessment with a qualified auditor for ISO certification.
Do You Need ISO 27001 or ISO 42001 Compliance?
At present, neither ISO 27001 nor ISO 42001 is legally mandated for businesses in any country. Unlike other standards mandated by local, national, or governmental forces, these ISO standards achieve widespread adoption because they offer significant benefits to organizations. In some cases, you might need to implement these standards if your partners expect them or if your competitors are already complying.
You might not need to be ISO compliant, at least yet, but it can offer substantial advantages.
Organizations that heavily utilize AI tools should consider implementing ISO 42001 to provide trust assurance to clients and partners. Many experts predict that future AI regulations will likely be shaped by this standard, so early adoption could give you a significant competitive edge.
Similarly, ISO 27001 is beneficial for any organization seeking to enhance its information security operations. Implementing ISO 27001 controls can also prepare an organization for compliance with other international data security standards, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
How to Streamline Your ISO Compliance Process
Whether you need to comply with an ISO standard or are considering it for the benefits it provides, compliance involves implementing numerous controls. You must also regularly assess their effectiveness. Organizations that comply with other regulatory standards, such as GDPR or the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), should consider mapping controls to minimize overlap and reduce costs.
This consideration also works in the opposite direction. If this is the first standard your organization is implementing, you can still plan for future compliance needs. Install controls with those future standards in mind. A systematic take on this approach is using an omnibus framework, like the HITRUST CSF, which is explicitly designed to streamline a suite of regulatory needs with one, unified implementation. It lets you “assess once, report many.”
In any case, the most effective way to optimize your compliance process is to work with a dedicated advisor.
Achieve ISO Compliance Efficiently with RSI Security
The ISO 42001 and ISO 27001 standards feature a similar general structure and approach, but they apply to different areas of concern. Whereas ISO 42001 is focused on AI and AIMS specifically, ISO 27001 is for general security across all systems. Although neither standard is mandatory in most situations, you might need one or both to conduct business in a given context.
Both standards require the installation of controls and the iterative assessment of their effectiveness. This can be challenging without the right partner to help you scope, implement, and manage protections.
RSI Security has helped countless organizations implement ISO and other regulatory bodies’ standards to achieve compliance. We help you rethink your cyber defense holistically because we believe that only the right approach can keep your stakeholders secure.
To learn more about our ISO 42001 and 27001 advisory, contact RSI Security today!
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