Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 Practice Exam 2026 – Complete Study Resource

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a United States federal agency that is indeed standards-based and non-regulatory. Its mission includes developing measurement standards and guidelines to enhance innovation and industrial competitiveness. NIST plays a crucial role in creating cybersecurity frameworks and developing guidelines for various technologies, which is essential for both the public and private sectors.

NIST's frameworks and guidelines are widely respected and utilized but do not carry the weight of mandatory regulations, meaning organizations can choose to adopt them voluntarily. This position allows NIST to serve as a key contributor to setting standards that drive technological advancements and improve security without enforcing compliance through legal mandates.

In contrast, other options listed either refer to standards that are not specific to the United States or are regulatory in nature. For example, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is an international standard-setting body, and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a regulation within the European Union concerning data protection and privacy. RSE (which could refer to various entities or terms) is not widely recognized as a standards-based agency in the context given.