IEC62443

IEC 62443 is a family of standards from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for protecting industrial automation and control systems (IACS) from cyber threats. Developed in collaboration with the International Society of Automation (ISA), the series provides a structured framework for secure design, deployment, operation, and maintenance of IACS across industries such as energy, water, and manufacturing.

Scope and purpose: The standards address vendors, integrators, operators, and assessors. They aim to harmonize cybersecurity practices, support risk-based decision making, and provide a basis for procurement, testing, and compliance.

Structure and key concepts: The IEC 62443 family is organized into four general areas: general concepts and terminology; security program requirements for IACS; system security requirements and security levels; and product development requirements for IACS components. Key concepts include zones and conduits that segment networks; defense-in-depth, combining people, processes, and technology; and security levels to express required protection across devices and systems (SL1 to SL4). The framework emphasizes a lifecycle approach, covering risk assessment, design, implementation, operation, maintenance, and continuous improvement.

Application and conformance: Organizations apply the appropriate parts to their context, often using the standard alongside other frameworks such as ISO/IEC 27001. IEC 62443 supports both product developers (for IACS components) and system integrators and asset owners, enabling specification of security requirements and verification of compliance.

History: The IEC 62443 family evolved from the ISA-99 standard for industrial cybersecurity. The first IEC 62443 parts were published in the late 2000s, with ongoing revisions and additions through the 2010s and beyond to address emerging threats and technologies.

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