FISMA
U.S. federal law for risk-based cybersecurity management
ISA 95
International standard for enterprise-control system integration
Quick Verdict
FISMA mandates risk-based cybersecurity for US federal systems via NIST RMF, while ISA 95 provides voluntary models for manufacturing IT/OT integration. Agencies comply with FISMA for legal requirements; manufacturers adopt ISA 95 to reduce integration costs and enable semantic consistency.
FISMA
Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014
Key Features
- Mandates NIST RMF 7-step risk management lifecycle
- Requires continuous monitoring and ongoing authorization
- Applies to federal agencies and contractors handling data
- Enforces real-time major incident reporting to Congress
- Uses maturity models for IG annual evaluations
ISA 95
ANSI/ISA-95 Enterprise-Control System Integration
Key Features
- Purdue Model Levels 0-4 hierarchy for IT/OT boundaries
- Equipment hierarchy: Enterprise-Site-Area-Unit-Control Module
- Activity models for production, quality, maintenance operations
- Canonical object models for materials, personnel, equipment
- Alias services for multi-system identifier mapping
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
FISMA Details
What It Is
Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) of 2014 is a U.S. federal law establishing a risk-based framework for protecting federal information and systems. It mandates agency-wide information security programs using NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) for lifecycle management.
Key Components
- NIST RMF 7 steps: Prepare, Categorize, Select, Implement, Assess, Authorize, Monitor.
- NIST SP 800-53 controls tailored by FIPS 199 impact levels.
- Continuous monitoring via SP 800-137; maturity models for evaluations.
- Oversight by OMB, CISA, IGs with annual metrics.
Why Organizations Use It
Federal agencies and contractors comply to avoid penalties, loss of funding. Provides risk reduction, resilience, market access for vendors. Builds trust, aligns cybersecurity with missions.
Implementation Overview
Phased RMF approach: governance, inventory, controls, assessments, ATOs. Applies to agencies, contractors; requires SSPs, POA&Ms, audits. Scalable for large enterprises or smaller vendors.
ISA 95 Details
What It Is
ISA-95 (ANSI/ISA-95/IEC 62264) is an international framework standard for integrating enterprise business systems with manufacturing control systems. It defines technology-agnostic models for information exchange across the Purdue hierarchy (Levels 0-4), focusing on semantic consistency between Level 3 (MES/MOM) and Level 4 (ERP). Its model-driven approach standardizes equipment, activities, and transactions to reduce integration risks.
Key Components
- Purdue Model levels (0-4) for functional segmentation
- Equipment hierarchy, activity models, object attributes (Parts 1-4)
- Transactions, messaging, alias services (Parts 5-8)
- 8 parts total; no formal certification, compliance via adoption Core principles: canonical semantics, governance, IT/OT alignment.
Why Organizations Use It
- Drives ROI via OEE visibility, reduced downtime, traceability
- Voluntary but essential for manufacturing digital transformation
- Mitigates data silos, scope creep, security gaps
- Builds stakeholder trust through auditable architectures
- Competitive edge in Industry 4.0 scalability.
Implementation Overview
Phased: maturity assessment, canonical modeling, pilot (3-6 months), enterprise rollout (12-36 months). Targets manufacturing globally; involves cross-functional teams, middleware, testing. No mandatory audits, but governance recommended.
Key Differences
| Aspect | FISMA | ISA 95 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Federal info security & risk management | Enterprise-control system integration models |
| Industry | US federal agencies & contractors | Manufacturing & industrial automation |
| Nature | Mandatory US federal law/regulation | Voluntary international standard/framework |
| Testing | Continuous monitoring & IG audits | Maturity assessments & gap analysis |
| Penalties | Contract loss, debarment, IG reports | No formal penalties, integration risks |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about FISMA and ISA 95
FISMA FAQ
ISA 95 FAQ
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