Compare
SSDF SP 800-218 vs NIST AI RMF: how they differ, side by side
How SSDF SP 800-218 and NIST AI RMF differ: what each is, who owes it, when it applies and who enforces it.
01 / Side by side
SSDF SP 800-218 and NIST AI RMF, side by side
| SSDF SP 800-218 | NIST AI RMF | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | federal standard | voluntary framework |
| Jurisdiction | United States (federal) | United States (federal) |
| Legal force | Voluntary framework; no government-wide attestation since Jan 2026 | Voluntary framework |
| Status | Published standard | Published standard |
| Applies from | 3 Feb 2022 | 26 Jan 2023 |
| Who owes it | Software producers of all kinds, and in particular vendors whose software is used by US federal agencies. | Any organization that designs, develops, deploys, evaluates or uses AI systems and chooses to adopt it; no one is required to by the framework itself. |
| Enforcement | None directly; voluntary. Agencies may require SSDF practices or an attestation by contract, and false contract representations can create False Claims Act exposure. | None; voluntary. Contracts, agency policies or other laws may reference it. |
02 / SSDF SP 800-218
What SSDF SP 800-218 requires
SP 800-218A (July 2024) is an SSDF community profile for generative AI and dual-use foundation models; it adds tasks such as protecting training data and model weights and tracking model provenance.
- 01Define security requirements, roles, training and toolchains for software development (PO).
- 02Protect code, releases and provenance data from tampering and unauthorized access (PS).
- 03Design securely, review and test code, and configure software secure by default (PW).
- 04Identify, analyze and fix vulnerabilities and their root causes after release (RV).
- 05Apply practices on a risk basis and document how each is met.
03 / NIST AI RMF
What NIST AI RMF requires
AI-specific. It addresses risks such as validity, reliability, safety, security, accountability, explainability, privacy and harmful bias in AI systems across their lifecycle.
- 01GOVERN: set policies, accountability, culture and third-party controls for AI risk across the organization.
- 02MAP: establish each AI system's context, purpose, categorization, benefits, costs and impacts.
- 03MEASURE: select metrics and test, evaluate, verify and validate AI systems for trustworthiness characteristics; track risks over time.
- 04MANAGE: prioritize and treat AI risks, manage third-party risk, and monitor deployed systems with response and recovery plans.
- 05Optionally build use-case or sector profiles that select and tailor the subcategories that matter.
Optional evidence · where Planisphere fits
Keep a record anyone can check
When your team meets a duty, Planisphere can seal the event it reports as a receipt.
A disclosure shown, a review signed, a model change approved: the event your system reports.
The event becomes a sealed receipt, dated and attributed to whoever is signed in.
Paste the receipt into Verify. No account or key.
A record supports your compliance evidence process. It is not a legal finding or a certification. Systems that call Planisphere's gate API can also hold or refuse an action before it runs.
SOURCES
Go back to the source
National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Institute of Standards and Technology
NIST Trustworthy and Responsible AI Resource Center
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Related: SSDF SP 800-218: the full guide · NIST AI RMF: the full guide · NIST AI RMF vs SSDF SP 800-218 · All comparisons