CHALLENGE:
In order to remain competitive, manufacturers need to embrace the digital transformation with integration of real-time optimization throughout the entire supply chain: systems that report real-time logistics and production data to business-level systems, informing optimal strategic and operational decisions.
Most industrial IT infrastructure, however, was not built to support interconnected Smart Factory technologies. Rebuilding these systems is an intimidating and costly undertaking. And with the ever-increasing digitization and interconnection of industrial processes, protecting these systems from cyber threats is of paramount importance.
SOLUTION:
The international series of standards IEC 62443 addresses the need to design cybersecurity robustness and resilience into industrial automation and control systems (IACS) from the start. It sets out requirements to enhance the security posture of industrial automation and control systems, and outlines the secure product development lifecycle requirements and the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders. With the guidance of these standards, manufacturers can develop an operational and secure environment from the ground up that is able to adopt Smart Technology platforms and embrace the benefits of the digital transformation.
The approach guided by the series of standards makes clear the strategic value of digital transformation—supporting appropriate distribution and justification of the financial investment behind building these Smart systems. The standards also support monitoring, re-evaluating, and adjusting on a continuous basis to accommodate changing conditions, from new technologies, to emerging security risks, to evolving strategic priorities and goals.
This series of standards was developed by the ISA99 committee of the International Society of Automation (a U.S.-based standards developing organization), and adopted as an international standard by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
IMPACT:
Since its publication, IEC 62443 has been continually updated and expanded to keep up with the evolving cyber threat landscape and technological advancements in industrial automation. Today, it is one of the most comprehensive and widely recognized standards for industrial cybersecurity worldwide.
Although initially focused on industrial automation, this set of standards has now been adopted by an expanding range of industries and domains, including power and energy supply and distribution, and transportation. In 2021, IEC recognized the series as a horizontal standard, meaning that the standards have been proven to apply to a broad range of different industries. Its global recognition also makes it an invaluable tool for meeting local, regional, national, and international regulatory requirements.
Source(s):
ISA: A Practical Approach to Adopting the IEC 62443 Standards
Rockwell Automation: Securing the Connected Enterprise
USNC Current, Volume 16, No. 1 (Spring 2021)
Guidelines:
Case studies will be added to the Standards Boost Business webpage at ANSI’s discretion.