What is IEC 62443?
IEC 62443 (formerly ISA/IEC 62443) is a comprehensive series of standards that defines procedures for implementing electronically secure Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS). The standard applies to all industries and critical infrastructure sectors.
Standard Structure
The series is organized into four groups:
- General (1-x): Concepts, models, and terminology
- Policies & Procedures (2-x): Requirements for asset owners and service providers
- System (3-x): System-level security requirements and risk assessment
- Component (4-x): Product development and technical requirements
Security Levels
IEC 62443 defines four Security Levels (SL 1-4) representing increasing levels of protection against different threat actors, from casual attackers to state-sponsored threats.
Zones and Conduits
The standard introduces a security architecture model based on zones (groups of assets with common security requirements) and conduits (secured communication paths between zones).
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