Standards Comparison

    ISO 27032

    Voluntary
    2012

    International guidelines for Internet cybersecurity collaboration

    VS

    EU AI Act

    Mandatory
    2024

    EU regulation for risk-based AI governance

    Quick Verdict

    ISO 27032 offers voluntary cybersecurity guidelines for internet ecosystems globally, while EU AI Act mandates strict risk-based controls for AI systems in EU. Companies adopt ISO 27032 for best-practice collaboration; AI Act for legal compliance and market access.

    Cybersecurity

    ISO 27032

    ISO/IEC 27032:2023 Cybersecurity – Guidelines for Internet Security

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • Multi-stakeholder collaboration across cyberspace ecosystem
    • Internet security guidelines mapping to ISO 27002 controls
    • Risk assessment for Internet-specific threats and vulnerabilities
    • Emphasis on detection, response, and information sharing
    • Complements ISO 27001 with non-certifiable guidance
    Artificial Intelligence

    EU AI Act

    Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 Artificial Intelligence Act

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    18-24 months

    Key Features

    • Risk-based classification into four AI tiers
    • Prohibitions on unacceptable-risk AI practices
    • Conformity assessments and CE marking for high-risk
    • GPAI model obligations with systemic risk rules
    • Lifecycle risk management and post-market monitoring

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    ISO 27032 Details

    What It Is

    ISO/IEC 27032:2023, titled Cybersecurity – Guidelines for Internet Security, is an international guidance standard (informative, non-certifiable) developed by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27. Its primary purpose is to provide collaborative guidelines for managing Internet security risks in cyberspace, connecting information security, network security, Internet security, and critical infrastructure protection. It uses a risk-based, multi-stakeholder approach emphasizing ecosystem-wide cooperation.

    Key Components

    • Core themes: stakeholder roles, risk assessment, incident management, technical/organizational controls.
    • Annex A maps Internet threats/vulnerabilities to ISO/IEC 27002 controls.
    • Built on principles of collaboration, trust, transparency, and PDCA cycle.
    • No fixed controls; integrates with ISO 27001 via Statement of Applicability.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Enhances resilience, reduces breach impacts, aligns with regulations (e.g., NIS2, GDPR). Drives efficiency, stakeholder trust, competitive differentiation, and insurance benefits through better detection/response.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased approach: scoping, gap analysis, risk treatment, controls deployment, monitoring. Targets all sizes/industries with online presence; no certification, but audits recommended for continuous improvement.

    EU AI Act Details

    What It Is

    The EU AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) is a comprehensive regulation, the EU's first horizontal framework for AI governance. It employs a risk-based approach, prohibiting unacceptable-risk practices, regulating high-risk systems via lifecycle controls, mandating transparency for limited-risk AI like chatbots, and minimally regulating others. Effective from August 1, 2024, with phased timelines up to 36 months.

    Key Components

    • Risk tiers: unacceptable (banned), high-risk (Annex I/III), limited, minimal
    • High-risk obligations: risk management (Art. 9), data governance (10), documentation (11-13), human oversight (14), cybersecurity (15)
    • GPAI rules (Ch. V): technical docs, systemic risk mitigations
    • Conformity assessments, CE marking, EU registration; presumption via harmonized standards

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mandatory for EU market AI providers/deployers
    • Avoids fines up to 7% global turnover
    • Builds trust, ensures safety/fundamental rights
    • Enables market access, competitive edge in sectors like HR, biometrics

    Implementation Overview

    Phased: inventory/classify assets, develop QMS/RMS, conformity assessments, post-market monitoring. Targets providers/deployers with EU nexus; suits all sizes in high-impact sectors via cross-functional governance.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    ISO 27032
    Internet security and cyberspace collaboration
    EU AI Act
    Risk-based AI systems lifecycle regulation

    Industry

    ISO 27032
    All organizations with online presence globally
    EU AI Act
    AI providers/deployers targeting EU market

    Nature

    ISO 27032
    Voluntary guidelines, non-certifiable
    EU AI Act
    Mandatory regulation with fines

    Testing

    ISO 27032
    Gap analysis, tabletop exercises, audits
    EU AI Act
    Conformity assessments, notified bodies

    Penalties

    ISO 27032
    No legal penalties, reputational risk
    EU AI Act
    Up to 7% global turnover fines

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about ISO 27032 and EU AI Act

    ISO 27032 FAQ

    EU AI Act FAQ

    You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

    Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

    Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform

    Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.

    100+ Standards & Regulations
    AI-Powered Insights
    Collaborative Assessments
    Actionable Recommendations

    Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages