ISA advocates standardization and training to boost industrial cybersecurity

The International Society of Automation (ISA) has published a new position paper – Advancing Industrial Cybersecurity.

The association explains in a press statement that cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities pose a clear and present danger to facilities, processes and the safety of communities. As the position paper describes, when most people think about cybersecurity, they focus on what are commonly considered information technology (IT) challenges impacting individual equipment or networks. While these are valid concerns, ISA notes that the impact on the facility or its operation from equipment or network compromise is much more concerning.

The new position paper aims to address how policymakers and private-sector leaders can be best equipped to address the urgent need for improved critical infrastructure cybersecurity through globally relevant standards and conformance programs, as well as strong support for the community of engineers and automation professionals working every day to keep facilities, processes and communities safe.

ISA states that asset owners and policymakers should rely upon a broadly used set of consensus standards to address the security of industrial automation and control systems – ISA/IEC 62443– as well as ISASecure conformity assessment programs to demonstrate compliance with these standards.

“In addition to raising awareness about the existing standardization solutions to support critical infrastructure, our position paper calls for greater awareness, education and training to equip engineers for the unique and growing challenges of the industrial cybersecurity environment,” said Steve Mustard, ISA treasurer and industrial cybersecurity subject matter expert. “Training is just one need among many. In reality, what a lot of organizations require is a cultural shift that prioritizes cybersecurity alongside functionality, efficiency, and safety as one of the fundamental workplace tenets.”