IEC 62443 Overview
Understanding industrial control system security requirements
What is IEC 62443?
IEC 62443 is a series of standards that define procedures for implementing electronically secure Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS). It's the primary cybersecurity standard for operational technology (OT) environments.
Standard Structure
IEC 62443 is organized into four main parts:
| Part | Focus | Key Standards |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | General concepts and models | 62443-1-1 |
| Part 2 | Policies and procedures | 62443-2-1, 62443-2-4 |
| Part 3 | System security | 62443-3-2, 62443-3-3 |
| Part 4 | Component security | 62443-4-1, 62443-4-2 |
Security Levels
IEC 62443 defines four Security Levels (SL):
- SL 1 - Protection against casual or coincidental violation
- SL 2 - Protection against intentional violation using simple means
- SL 3 - Protection against sophisticated attacks
- SL 4 - Protection against state-sponsored attacks
CRA Reference
The EU Cyber Resilience Act references IEC 62443 as an important harmonized standard for industrial products. Compliance with IEC 62443 helps demonstrate CRA conformity.
Key Concepts
Zones and Conduits
IEC 62443 uses zones (groupings of assets with similar security requirements) and conduits (communication paths between zones) to structure security architecture.
Security Requirements
The standard defines seven Foundational Requirements (FR):
- Identification and authentication control
- Use control
- System integrity
- Data confidentiality
- Restricted data flow
- Timely response to events
- Resource availability
How TARA Flow Helps
- Zone/Conduit Modeling - Visual modeling of security zones
- Security Level Assessment - Determine required SL for each zone
- Gap Analysis - Identify gaps between target and achieved SL
- Requirements Mapping - Map threats to 62443 requirements
- Cross-Standard Compliance - Simultaneous CRA and 62443 assessment
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