International · International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) / ISA
IEC 62443

IEC 62443 Industrial Automation and Control Systems Security

The international standard series for securing industrial automation and control systems (IACS) across the IT/OT boundary.

Status · Multi-part standard, ongoing revisions

What IEC 62443 actually is.

IEC 62443 is the multi-part standard series for IACS cybersecurity, organised across four groups: General (62443-1-x), Policies and Procedures (62443-2-x), System (62443-3-x) and Component (62443-4-x). Its most-cited concepts are the zone-and-conduit model, Security Levels (SL 1–4), and the Foundational Requirements. It is widely used by utilities, manufacturers and OEMs, and is one of the accepted bases for cyber-hazard obligations under the Australian CIRMP Rules.

Applies to

Operators, integrators and product suppliers of industrial control systems - electricity, water, oil & gas, manufacturing, transport and building management.

Key requirements

The control areas the framework covers.

Summary of the control families and outcomes the framework drives. Always validate against the official publication for the authoritative wording.

  1. 01

    Risk assessment and system design

    Identify zones and conduits and assign Security Levels to each.

  2. 02

    Identification and authentication

    Identify and authenticate users, software processes and devices.

  3. 03

    Use control

    Restrict privileges; limit the use of networked resources to authorised entities.

  4. 04

    System integrity

    Protect the integrity of IACS including input validation, session integrity and malicious code detection.

  5. 05

    Data confidentiality

    Protect the confidentiality of information at rest and in transit.

  6. 06

    Restricted data flow

    Segment IACS networks through zones and conduits.

  7. 07

    Timely response to events

    Respond to security violations through continuous monitoring and forensic capability.

  8. 08

    Resource availability

    Ensure availability of IACS against degradation or denial of essential services.

Official source

Read it from the issuing body.

For anything with a regulator or certification body behind it, the authoritative text is what counts - not our summary.

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) / ISA

IEC 62443 Industrial Automation and Control Systems Security

iec.ch/cyber-security

Content on this page is a plain-language summary for programme planning. It is not legal or regulatory advice, and it does not replace a current copy of the issuer's publication.

Security, engineered around you.

Talk to an engineer - not a call centre. Most Vectra conversations start with a 30-minute technical briefing and end with a written plan.