ISAGCA Releases Position Paper on Automation Cybersecurity Requirements in Public Policy

August 11, 2021

News

The ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance's (ISAGCA) position paper details the automation cybersecurity public policy views of the organization and its 50 companies.

Recent discussions have surfaced in the United States and other world governments about how to best secure automation and control systems that affect our everyday lives, especially in critical infrastructure. US President Biden issued Executive Order 14028 on May 12, 2021, addressing securing automation in critical infrastructure.

ISAGCA member companies and thought leaders have a long history of adopting a standards-based approach for securing automation products and operating sites based on the ISA/IEC 62443 series of international cybersecurity standards. These standards and technical reports have been successfully applied to a variety of industry sectors including process industries such as chemicals and oil & gas, building automation, electric power generation and distribution, medical devices, and transportation.

ISAGCA and its member companies hope the executive order and other measures will encourage those who support the nation’s critical infrastructure to develop and implement automation cybersecurity capabilities to protect and secure technologies that impact our daily lives.

“It is critically important for legislators and regulators to recognize the urgent need for a unified response to this threat,” said ISAGCA Managing Director Andre Ristaino. “Standard definitions and a common language for asset owners, product suppliers, and all other control system stakeholders is necessary to simplify procurement and enable companies to comply with any regulatory efforts. A fully developed ISA/IEC 62443 ecosystem enables facilities and operations across many different industries to achieve industrial control systems and automation cybersecurity.”

ISAGCA continues to work with state and federal legislators, regulators, and other standards bodies to ensure that the ISA/IEC 62443 standards are included as the reference standards for establishing IACS cybersecurity metrics.

You can download the position paper here.

For more information, visit ISAGCA.