Head-to-head comparison
CISO Assistant is ideal for organisations managing multiple compliance frameworks simultaneously. Open Risk Register is the better choice when the goal is specifically a NIS2 risk assessment with no infrastructure overhead.
| Feature | CISO Assistant | Open Risk Register |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free (open source) | Free — always |
| Installation required | Yes — Docker / Python backend | No — browser only |
| Account required | Yes (local account) | No |
| Data stays on your device | On your server (self-hosted) | Yes — browser localStorage |
| NIS2 Article 21 coverage | Yes — framework included | Yes — built-in workflow |
| NIST SP 800-30 risk workflow | Risk module present but different methodology | Full 9-step workflow |
| Compliance frameworks supported | 30+ (ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, NIS2, etc.) | NIS2 / NIST SP 800-30 only |
| Time to first result | Hours (Docker setup) | Minutes |
| Multi-user collaboration | Yes | No (single device) |
| Open source | Yes (AGPLv3) | Yes |
| Export | Multiple formats | JSON + PDF print |
When to choose each tool
Choose CISO Assistant when…
You need to manage compliance across ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, NIS2, and other frameworks in a unified platform. You have a team and server infrastructure to host the application. You want a CISO-level overview of all compliance posture in one dashboard.
Choose Open Risk Register when…
Your immediate goal is a NIS2 risk assessment, not a broad compliance platform. You cannot or prefer not to run a Docker container. You need results today, privately, without creating user accounts or configuring a database. You want all data in your browser.
About CISO Assistant
CISO Assistant (by Intuitem) is an open-source GRC tool released under AGPLv3. It covers a wide range of cybersecurity and compliance frameworks and is designed for security teams building a structured compliance programme. It is self-hosted and requires Docker.
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