Compare Compliance Frameworks Side-by-Side

The two most requested certifications for SaaS and technology companies. ISO 27001 is the international gold standard; SOC 2 dominates in North America. Many organisations pursue both.

Common use case: SaaS vendors, cloud providers, B2B technology companies

NIST CSF provides a risk-based framework structure (Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover, Govern) while ISO 27001 provides a certifiable management system. They complement each other. Many use NIST CSF for strategy and ISO 27001 for certification.

Common use case: Critical infrastructure, federal contractors, global enterprises

Both are AICPA audit frameworks, but they serve different purposes. SOC 1 focuses on controls relevant to financial reporting; SOC 2 covers security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.

Common use case: Service organisations choosing between audit types

NIST 800-53 provides over 1,000 granular security and privacy controls used by US federal agencies. ISO 27001 Annex A has 93 controls. NIST is more prescriptive; ISO is more flexible and internationally recognised.

Common use case: Government agencies, federal contractors, defence supply chain

CIS Controls are prioritised, actionable security measures, a practical implementation checklist. NIST CSF is a higher-level risk management framework. CIS Controls often serve as the 'how' to NIST CSF's 'what'.

Common use case: Security teams building implementation roadmaps

ISO 27001 defines the requirements for an Information Security Management System (ISMS). ISO 27002 provides the implementation guidance for those controls. You certify against 27001; you reference 27002 for how to implement.

Common use case: Organisations building or auditing an ISMS

Europe's GDPR and California's CCPA/CPRA are the two most influential privacy regulations globally. GDPR requires lawful basis for all processing; CCPA focuses on consumer opt-out rights. Both impose significant penalties.

Common use case: Global companies serving EU and US consumers

GDPR protects all personal data of EU residents. HIPAA protects health information in the US. Digital health companies serving both markets must comply with both, but their approaches to consent, data minimisation, and breach notification differ significantly.

Common use case: Digital health, telemedicine, health data processors

ISO 27701 extends ISO 27001/27002 to cover privacy information management. It provides a certifiable framework that maps closely to GDPR requirements, making it a practical path to demonstrating GDPR compliance.

Common use case: Organisations seeking certified privacy compliance

HIPAA sets the legal requirements for protecting health information in the US. ISO 27001 provides a certifiable information security management system. Healthcare organisations increasingly pursue ISO 27001 certification to demonstrate a systematic approach to protecting patient data beyond HIPAA's minimum requirements.

Common use case: Healthcare providers, health tech, business associates

PCI DSS is mandatory for organisations handling cardholder data, with very prescriptive technical controls. ISO 27001 covers broader information security. There is significant overlap, and many organisations use ISO 27001 as the foundation with PCI DSS layered on top.

Common use case: Payment processors, e-commerce, financial services

Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) mandates internal controls over financial reporting for US public companies. SOC 1 audits assess whether a service organisation's controls are designed and operating effectively for financial reporting. SOC 1 reports directly support SOX compliance.

Common use case: Public companies, audit firms, financial service providers

AWS Well-Architected provides cloud-native security guidance specific to AWS infrastructure. ISO 27001 provides a vendor-neutral management system. Mapping between them helps organisations demonstrate ISO compliance within AWS environments.

Common use case: Organisations running workloads on AWS

The CSA CCM is designed specifically for cloud security, covering 197 control objectives across 17 domains. ISO 27001 is broader. Together, they provide comprehensive cloud security governance with international certification backing.

Common use case: Cloud service providers, multi-cloud enterprises

COBIT focuses on IT governance and management, ensuring IT delivers value and manages risk. ITIL focuses on IT service management, delivering and supporting IT services. They are complementary: COBIT governs, ITIL operates.

Common use case: IT leadership, CIOs, service management teams

Both are enterprise risk management frameworks. ISO 31000 provides principles and guidelines applicable to any organisation. COSO ERM integrates with strategy and performance, popular with US-listed companies. ISO 31000 is more globally adopted.

Common use case: Chief Risk Officers, enterprise risk teams, boards

Both follow the Annex SL high-level structure, making integration straightforward. ISO 9001 covers quality management; ISO 27001 covers information security. Organisations often integrate them into a single management system.

Common use case: Organisations building integrated management systems

Australia's ASD Essential Eight provides eight prioritised mitigation strategies that address the majority of cyber incidents. NIST CSF is broader and more comprehensive. Australian organisations often use Essential Eight as a tactical starting point within a NIST CSF strategy.

Common use case: Australian government agencies, APAC organisations