NIS2 Vs IEC 62443

The NIS2 Directive and the IEC 62443 series of standards are both focused on improving cybersecurity, but they operate at different levels and serve different purposes. Their relationship lies in their shared goal of enhancing the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure, particularly in industrial settings. Here's how they relate to each other:

1. NIS2 Directive Overview

The NIS2 Directive is an EU legislative framework aimed at improving the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure across various sectors, such as energy, transportation, health, and digital services. It requires organizations in these sectors to adopt robust cybersecurity measures and incident reporting mechanisms.

  • Scope: NIS2 focuses on governance and risk management at the organizational level, pushing companies to ensure that their network and information systems are secure.

  • Target: Organizations in critical sectors.

  • Goal: Strengthen organizational cybersecurity, ensure incident reporting, and improve cross-border cooperation.

2. IEC 62443 Overview

The IEC 62443 series of standards (developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission) provides a technical framework for ensuring the cybersecurity of Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS). It offers guidelines for designing, implementing, and maintaining secure industrial systems across their entire lifecycle.

  • Scope: IEC 62443 focuses on technical standards and best practices for securing industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT).

  • Target: ICS vendors, integrators, and operators.

  • Goal: Establish standardized approaches to protecting industrial environments from cyber threats.

3. How NIS2 and IEC 62443 Are Related

a. Shared Focus on Critical Infrastructure

Both the NIS2 Directive and IEC 62443 focus on protecting critical infrastructure. Many of the sectors covered by the NIS2 Directive—such as energy, transportation, water supply, and healthcare—rely on industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT), which are the primary focus of IEC 62443. This creates an overlap where NIS2 governs policy and organizational governance, while IEC 62443 addresses the technical aspects of securing the infrastructure.

b. Complementary Approaches

  • NIS2 Directive: Sets the legal and organizational obligations for companies in critical sectors to adopt appropriate cybersecurity measures, including securing their ICS/OT environments.

  • IEC 62443: Provides the technical standards and best practices that organizations can use to comply with the technical requirements of NIS2. For instance, implementing IEC 62443 standards can help organizations meet the NIS2 requirement to ensure the security of their networks and systems.

c. Risk Management and Security Controls

  • Both NIS2 and IEC 62443 emphasize risk management and the need for organizations to adopt proactive security measures.

  • NIS2 requires organizations to implement risk-based approaches to cybersecurity, including vulnerability management and incident response.

  • IEC 62443 helps organizations meet these requirements by providing detailed guidance on how to design and operate secure industrial systems. It defines specific roles, responsibilities, and controls for protecting IACS at various levels (e.g., component, system, and organizational levels).

d. Incident Reporting and Response

  • Under NIS2, organizations are required to report cybersecurity incidents to national authorities, and they must have measures in place to detect, respond to, and recover from incidents.

  • IEC 62443 includes guidelines for incident response and continuous monitoring, helping organizations meet these reporting requirements. By following IEC 62443 standards, companies can ensure that they have the technical capacity to detect and respond to incidents as mandated by NIS2.

4. Key Areas of Alignment

  • Security-by-Design: NIS2 promotes a proactive approach to cybersecurity, and IEC 62443 emphasizes the need for security-by-design in the development and deployment of industrial systems.

  • Supply Chain Security: Both frameworks recognize the importance of securing the supply chain. NIS2 obliges organizations to assess risks in their supply chain, while IEC 62443 provides specific requirements for component suppliers and system integrators to ensure the security of products and services.

  • Governance and Technical Integration: While NIS2 governs cybersecurity from a regulatory and organizational standpoint, IEC 62443 provides the technical foundation to comply with those governance requirements.

5. Practical Example of Integration

Consider an energy company operating in the EU, which falls under the scope of the NIS2 Directive. To comply with NIS2, the company must secure its network, IT, and OT systems. This is where IEC 62443 comes in:

  • By applying IEC 62443 standards, the company can ensure that its industrial control systems (ICS), like SCADA and PLC systems, are secured against cyber threats.

  • The company's compliance with IEC 62443 will help it meet NIS2's obligations regarding system security, incident detection, and response.

  • NIS2 would require the organization to have a governance framework in place, while IEC 62443 would ensure the technical robustness of the industrial systems within that framework.

6. Conclusion

NIS2 and IEC 62443 are complementary. While NIS2 focuses on the regulatory and governance aspects of cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, IEC 62443 provides the technical standards needed to secure industrial control systems. Organizations that follow IEC 62443 standards will be better equipped to meet the requirements of the NIS2 Directive, especially in sectors reliant on industrial and operational technology.

PreviousNIS2NextCRA

Last updated

Was this helpful?