Summary
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Secure by Design for AI framework provides guidance for implementing security measures throughout the AI system lifecycle. It emphasizes proactive security engineering, threat modeling, and resilient design principles to protect AI systems from exploitation and ensure their safe operation in critical infrastructure environments.
Key Obligations
- •Implement security controls throughout the AI development lifecycle
- •Conduct regular threat modeling specific to AI systems
- •Establish robust testing and validation procedures for AI models
- •Maintain comprehensive documentation of AI system architecture and dependencies
- •Develop incident response plans specific to AI security incidents
- •Ensure transparency in AI system capabilities and limitations
Enforcement
Regulator
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
Penalties
While voluntary, non-compliance may impact federal procurement eligibility and increase liability exposure
Audit Mechanism
Self-assessment with CISA-provided tools and voluntary third-party assessments
Applicable To
- •Federal agencies
- •Critical infrastructure operators
- •AI system developers
- •Organizations deploying AI in critical contexts
AI-GPM Coverage
Rakshan provides comprehensive coverage of CISA Secure by Design for AI requirements through our AI security assessment module. Our platform automates security testing, vulnerability scanning, and documentation of AI systems to demonstrate compliance with CISA guidelines. We offer continuous monitoring capabilities to detect security anomalies in AI systems and provide remediation guidance aligned with CISA recommendations.
Resources
Implementation Timeline
CISA released the initial Secure by Design for AI guidance, providing voluntary recommendations for organizations developing and deploying AI systems.
Expanded guidance with sector-specific recommendations for critical infrastructure sectors and integration with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework.
Expected incorporation into federal procurement requirements for AI systems, making compliance mandatory for vendors selling to government agencies.
How Rakshan Helps
Security Assessment
Rakshan's AI security assessment module provides automated scanning and testing of AI systems against CISA's security requirements, identifying vulnerabilities and recommending remediation steps.
Threat Modeling
Our platform includes AI-specific threat modeling tools that help organizations identify potential attack vectors and security risks in their AI systems, aligned with CISA's recommended approach.
Documentation Generation
Rakshan automatically generates comprehensive documentation of AI system architecture, dependencies, and security controls to demonstrate compliance with CISA's transparency requirements.
Continuous Monitoring
Our platform provides real-time monitoring of AI systems in production, detecting security anomalies and potential exploits, with automated alerts and incident response guidance.
Need Help With Compliance?
Our platform automates compliance with CISA Secure by Design for AI and other global AI regulations.