ISA ISA-IEC-62443 - ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Fundamentals Specialist

Documenting the results of the initial or high-level risk assessment is crucial to establish a baseline for cybersecurity posture and risk. This baseline serves as a reference for tracking progress, justifying future investments, measuring improvements, and supporting subsequent detailed risk assessments. It also aids in communication with stakeholders and auditors.

 Network security is important in IACS environments because PLCs, or programmable logic controllers, are devices that control physical processes and equipment in industrial settings. PLCs under cyber attack can have costly and dangerous impacts, such as disrupting production, damaging equipment, compromising safety, and harming the environment. Therefore, network security is essential to protect PLCs and other IACS components from unauthorized access, modification, or disruption. The other choices are not primary reasons why network security is important in IACS environments. PLCs are not inherently unreliable, but they can be affected by environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and electromagnetic interference. PLCs are programmed using ladder logic, which is a graphical programming language that resembles electrical schematics. PLCs use serial or Ethernet communications methods, depending on the type and age of the device, to communicate with other IACS components, such as human-machine interfaces (HMIs), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, and distributed control systems (DCSs). References:

ISA/IEC 62443 Standards to Secure Your Industrial Control System training course1

ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Fundamentals Specialist Study Guide2

Using the ISA/IEC 62443 Standard to Secure Your Control Systems3

According to the ISA/IEC 62443 standards, the level of risk an organization is willing to tolerate is determined by the management, as they are responsible for defining the business and risk objectives, as well as the security policies and procedures for the organization. The management also has the authority to allocate the necessary resources and assign the roles and responsibilities for implementing and maintaining the security program. The legal, operations, and safety departments may provide input and feedback to the management, but they do not have the final say in determining the risk tolerance level. References: ISA/IEC 62443-2-1:2010 - Establishing an industrial automation and control systems security program, section 4.2.1.

CCSC stands for “Common Component Security Criteria.” In the ISA/IEC 62443 series, specifically in Part 4-2, CCSC refers to a harmonized set of security criteria applicable to individual components within an IACS, such as embedded devices, network devices, host devices, and software applications. These criteria are used to ensure that each component meets a consistent baseline for cybersecurity, supporting overall system security.

One of the most frequent mistakes in cybersecurity management—according to ISA/IEC 62443 guidance—is focusing only on technological solutions and neglecting other critical components such as people, process, and culture. Effective cybersecurity management must include policies, training, incident response, and continual improvement, not just technical controls. This holistic approach is emphasized throughout the standards, particularly in the sections describing CSMS program elements and organizational responsibilities.

Cybersecurity and physical security regulations are intended to provide guidance and requirements for protecting industrial control systems from various threats and risks. However, these regulations may face mixed resistance from different stakeholders for various reasons. One of the reasons is that there are a limited number of enforced cybersecurity and physical security regulations, especially at the international level. This means that some regions or countries may have more stringent or comprehensive regulations than others, creating inconsistencies and challenges for cross-border cooperation and compliance. Moreover, some regulations may be outdated or not aligned with the current best practices and standards, such as ISA/IEC 62443, which may limit their effectiveness and applicability. Therefore, some organizations may prefer to follow voluntary standards or frameworks, such as ISA/IEC 62443, rather than mandatory regulations, as they may offer more flexibility and adaptability to the specific needs and contexts of each industrial control system. References:

ISA/IEC 62443 Standards to Secure Your Industrial Control System, page 3

Using the ISA/IEC 62443 Standard to Secure Your Control System, page 9

Multiuser accounts and shared passwords are accounts and passwords that are used by more than one person to access a system or a resource. They inherently carry the risk of unauthorized access, which means that someone who is not authorized or intended to use the account or password can gain access to the system or resource, and potentially compromise its confidentiality, integrity, or availability. For example, if a multiuser account and password are shared among several operators of an industrial automation and control system (IACS), an attacker who obtains the password can use the account to access the IACS and perform malicious actions, such as changing the system settings, deleting data, or disrupting the process. Multiuser accounts and shared passwords also make it difficult to track and audit the activities of individual users, and to enforce the principle of least privilege, which states that users should only have the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks. Therefore, the ISA/IEC 62443 standards recommend avoiding the use of multiuser accounts and shared passwords, and instead using individual accounts and strong passwords for each user, and implementing authentication and authorization mechanisms to control the access to the IACS. References:

ISA/IEC 62443-3-3:2013 - Security for industrial automation and control systems - Part 3-3: System security requirements and security levels1

ISA/IEC 62443-2-1:2009 - Security for industrial automation and control systems - Part 2-1: Establishing an industrial automation and control systems security program2

ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Fundamentals Specialist Training Course3

Shared passwords and multiuser accounts pose specific risks, notably unauthorized access and privilege escalation. In ISA/IEC 62443's framework, these practices are discouraged because they complicate the attribution of actions to individual users and increase the likelihood that accounts can be used beyond their intended scope. Unauthorized access occurs when individuals exploit the shared nature of an account to gain entry to systems or data that they should not access. Privilege escalation can happen when users leverage shared accounts to perform actions at higher permission levels than those assigned to their personal accounts. Conversely, buffer overflows and race conditions are types of vulnerabilities or programming errors, not directly associated with the risks of multiuser accounts or shared passwords.

In ANSI/ISA-99.00.01:2007, which is part of the ISA/IEC 62443 standards, electronic security encompasses both the technical and human aspects of cybersecurity within industrial automated and control systems (IACS). Option B correctly highlights components such as computers, networks, operating systems, applications, and other programmable configurable components which are intrinsic to the system's electronic security framework. Option C is also correct as it includes the personnel, policies, and procedures which play a crucial role in securing these systems. This emphasizes that security is not only about the technological solutions but also about managing human elements and organizational processes effectively.

ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Fundamentals References:

ISA/IEC 62443 standards focus on the holistic nature of security which is clearly supported by including both the technological (Option B) and human elements (Option C) in the definition of electronic security.

 IPSec is a commonly used protocol for managing secure data transmission over a VPN. IPSec stands for Internet Protocol Security and it is a set of standards that define how to encrypt and authenticate data packets that travel between two or more devices over an IP network. IPSec can operate in two modes: transport mode and tunnel mode. In transport mode, IPSec only encrypts the payload of the IP packet, leaving the header intact. In tunnel mode, IPSec encrypts the entire IP packet and encapsulates it in a new IP header. Tunnel mode is more secure and more suitable for VPNs, as it can protect the original source and destination addresses of the IP packet from eavesdropping or spoofing. IPSec uses two main protocols to provide security services: Authentication Header (AH) and Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP). AH provides data integrity and source authentication, but not confidentiality. ESP provides data integrity, source authentication, and confidentiality. IPSec also uses two protocols to establish and manage security associations (SAs), which are the parameters and keys used for encryption and authentication: Internet Key Exchange (IKE) and Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP). IKE is a protocol that negotiates and exchanges cryptographic keys between two devices. ISAKMP is a protocol that defines the format and structure of the messages used for key exchange and SA management.

A security policy refers to internal rules that govern how an organization protects critical system resources, such as industrial control systems (ICS). A security policy defines the objectives, scope, roles, responsibilities, and requirements for securing the ICS environment, as well as the procedures and guidelines for implementing, monitoring, and enforcing the security measures. A security policy also establishes the baseline for assessing and managing the security risks to the ICS, and for ensuring compliance with relevant standards, regulations, and best practices. A security policy is a key component of the ICS security program, and it should be documented, communicated, and reviewed regularly.

The other choices are not correct because:

A. Formal guidance. Formal guidance refers to external sources of information and recommendations that can help an organization improve its ICS security posture, such as standards, frameworks, guidelines, and best practices. Formal guidance is not an internal rule, but rather a reference that can be used to develop, implement, and evaluate the security policy and controls. For example, the ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards provide formal guidance on how to secure ICS from cyber threats1.

B. Legislation. Legislation refers to external laws and regulations that impose legal obligations and penalties on an organization for its ICS security performance, such as the NERC CIP standards for the electric sector2, or the EU NIS Directive for critical infrastructure operators3. Legislation is not an internal rule, but rather a compliance requirement that must be met by the organization. Legislation may also influence the security policy and controls, as the organization needs to align its security objectives and practices with the legal expectations and consequences.

D. Code of conduct. A code of conduct refers to a set of ethical principles and values that guide the behavior and decision-making of an organization and its employees, such as honesty, integrity, respect, and accountability. A code of conduct is not an internal rule for protecting critical system resources, but rather a general norm for conducting business and maintaining a positive reputation. A code of conduct may also support the security policy and culture, as it can foster a sense of responsibility and trust among the ICS stakeholders.