A New Kind of Standards Body
Engineering-grade cybersecurity standards for architecture, engineering, and proof
The Cybersecurity Standards Development Organization
What is missing is not merely guidance. What is missing is a formal, technical Standards Development Organization (SDO) built for cybersecurity architects who design, engineers who build, and security by design implementers and leaders.
ISAUnited.org fills that void.
ISAUnited is not a general standards organization. ISAUnited is a focused, mission-centered SDO committed to:
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Developing technically rigorous, peer-reviewed cybersecurity architecture and engineering standards
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Applying engineering principles, systems thinking, and traceability to every standard
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Establishing a global benchmark for Security by Design that goes beyond checklists and compliance
Our mission is grounded in three pillars:
Clarity. Discipline. Practicality.
These principles guide every standard, publication, course, and credential we deliver.
What Is a Standards Development Organization (SDO)?
A Standards Development Organization (SDO) is a formal entity responsible for the creation, publication, and maintenance of technical standards for specific industries. The term standard includes a wide range of technical works that prescribe rules, guidelines, best practices, specifications, test methods, and design or installation procedures. Standards vary in size and scope, ranging from comprehensive codes to narrowly focused test methods or product specifications.
Unlike informal or advisory bodies, an SDO follows a structured standards lifecycle that typically includes:
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Consensus-based drafting
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Peer review and public review
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Version control with traceability across revisions
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Engineering validation, verification, and testability
Independent, public service organizations, including not-for-profit professional societies and other 501(c)(3) entities, develop consensus-based standards for both private and government use. These standards promote reliability, interoperability, security, and quality, delivering broad economic and societal benefits.
An SDO provides a neutral, trusted framework that allows industries to align on secure, reliable foundations. That is exactly what ISAUnited is delivering for cybersecurity architecture and engineering.
The Value of Standards Development Organizations
Standards developed by ISAUnited and similar independent Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) are voluntary consensus standards. They are created through transparent procedures designed to support consensus decision-making, openness, balance of interests represented, and fairness, consistent with widely recognized accreditation expectations such as those used by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Because of their credibility and reach, independent SDOs can attract a broad community of volunteer experts to serve on standards-drafting committees and peer-review panels. ISAUnited is building a model for cybersecurity architecture and engineering to help the industry align on defensible, repeatable, and technically measurable standards.
Why standards cost money
While many subject matter experts volunteer their time and expertise, developing high-quality standards is expensive. A credible Standards Development Organization (SDO) must provide substantial operational support, including administrative and technical staff, research and information services, editorial and production work, publication and distribution services, and meeting costs for the many committee and working group sessions convened each year.
It is important to distinguish this work from vendor guidance. Product vendors and cloud providers often publish architecture references, implementation patterns, and best-practice documentation to support the adoption of their platforms. That material can be useful, but it is inherently aligned to specific products, commercial incentives, and proprietary roadmaps. It does not carry the same duty of neutrality, openness, balance of interests, or public accountability expected of an independent SDO.
Unlike many private-sector standards bodies that are industry-funded or that impose fees as a condition of participation, independent SDOs are not funded by any single trade, vendor, or commercial interest. They must underwrite the considerable cost of standards activities through sustainable revenue models, which commonly include the publication and sale of standards and related services that support ongoing maintenance, peer review, and versioned updates.
ISAUnited.org is Ready
We are ready to lead this next era in cybersecurity architecture.
With our Defensible 10 Standards, our Secure Design Excellence movement, and our upcoming professional licensing program, ISAUnited.org is building the future of cyber defense-one engineered standard at a time.
ISAUnited.org: The First Standards Development Organization (SDO) for Cybersecurity Architecture & Engineering.