A comprehensive and actionable guide to IEC 62443-based OT security assessments
Why IEC 62443 should be your OT roadmap
Operational Technology (OT) environments are no longer islands: they connect to corporate IT, third-party services and cloud analytics. That connectivity improves operations - and expands attacker pathways. IEC 62443 is the international framework that translates that complexity into measurable security outcomes for industrial control systems. Recent updates to the ISA/IEC family reinforce organisation-wide program requirements and tighter mappings between security program practices and technical controls - changes every asset owner should know.
This Shieldworkz IEC 62443 guide is not a long standard or a vendor brochure. It’s a working assessment playbook built from IEC 62443 principles that you can apply at your substation, plant or process line today. Inside you’ll find: a clear scoping approach, pre-assessment essentials (asset inventory, network diagrams, OEM coordination), a sector-tuned checklist mapped to IEC 62443 Foundational Requirements, evidence templates, and a step-by-step reporting and remediation workflow. The guide also includes a prioritized checklist you can use to run a first-pass assessment or to validate a third-party audit.
Why IEC 62443 matters to decision-makers
Regulatory alignment & auditability: IEC 62443 gives you objective Security Level (SL) targets and evidence points that regulators and auditors expect to see. Recent standard and guidance updates emphasise the need for organisation-level security programs and demonstrable controls.
Risk-based clarity: The standard aligns controls to likely threat capabilities (SL1→SL4), so you can prioritise controls that reduce the operational impact first.
Operational fit: The guide focuses on OT realities - legacy PLCs, maintenance windows, safety interlocks and constrained devices - so recommendations are feasible and measurable.
Why Download Shieldworkz IEC 62443 guide
Turnkey checklist: A mapped IEC 62443 checklist (zones, conduits, FR1–FR7) you can use to gather evidence this week.
Assessment blueprint: Ready-to-run methodology (kick-off, document review, configuration checks, controlled vulnerability scanning, interviews and physical security review).
Board-ready reporting: Executive summary templates, CSL (Current Security Level) vs. TSL (Target Security Level) mapping, prioritized remediation and estimated effort.
Program guidance: Practical next-steps to move from a gap list to an operational security program aligned to IEC 62443-2-1 and 3-2. (ISA/IEC updates emphasise stronger asset-owner program requirements).
Key takeaways from the guide
Governance first: Executive sponsorship, a cross-functional core team and formalised responsibilities are mandatory preconditions.
Inventory & zones matter: A validated asset inventory and zone/conduit model are the foundation of any meaningful SL determination.
Map controls to FRs: Structure assessments against the seven Foundational Requirements (Identification & Authentication, Use Control, System Integrity, Confidentiality, Restricted Data Flow, Response to Events, Resource Availability).
Measure, don’t guess: Assess Current Security Level (CSL) per zone, define Target SLs and produce a prioritized remediation plan that balances safety, availability and budget.
Continuous cycle: Treat assessments as recurring - assess, remediate, monitor and adapt - and revalidate SLs when systems change or threats evolve.
How Shieldworkz supports you beyond the guide
We pair the guide with hands-on services: asset-to-control mapping, IEC 62443-aligned assessments, tailored remediation roadmaps, and CSIRT/incident playbook alignment that fits OT operational constraints. Our approach shows boards and regulators measurable progress - fewer outages, clearer audit trails and demonstrable SL improvements. Recent industry guidance also points to closer ties between standards like IEC 62443 and national regulatory frameworks (NIS2 mappings and ENISA guidance), which we incorporate into every engagement.
Ready to start your IEC 62443 journey?
Download the Shieldworkz IEC 62443 OT Security Assessment Guide now. Fill the form and our OT specialists will schedule a focused 15-minute intake to tailor the checklist to your facility and show how to convert gaps into an executable remediation plan.
Download your copy today!
Get our Comprehensive and actionable guide to IEC 62443-based OT security assessments and make sure you’re covering every critical control in your industrial network
Why IEC 62443 should be your OT roadmap
Operational Technology (OT) environments are no longer islands: they connect to corporate IT, third-party services and cloud analytics. That connectivity improves operations - and expands attacker pathways. IEC 62443 is the international framework that translates that complexity into measurable security outcomes for industrial control systems. Recent updates to the ISA/IEC family reinforce organisation-wide program requirements and tighter mappings between security program practices and technical controls - changes every asset owner should know.
This Shieldworkz IEC 62443 guide is not a long standard or a vendor brochure. It’s a working assessment playbook built from IEC 62443 principles that you can apply at your substation, plant or process line today. Inside you’ll find: a clear scoping approach, pre-assessment essentials (asset inventory, network diagrams, OEM coordination), a sector-tuned checklist mapped to IEC 62443 Foundational Requirements, evidence templates, and a step-by-step reporting and remediation workflow. The guide also includes a prioritized checklist you can use to run a first-pass assessment or to validate a third-party audit.
Why IEC 62443 matters to decision-makers
Regulatory alignment & auditability: IEC 62443 gives you objective Security Level (SL) targets and evidence points that regulators and auditors expect to see. Recent standard and guidance updates emphasise the need for organisation-level security programs and demonstrable controls.
Risk-based clarity: The standard aligns controls to likely threat capabilities (SL1→SL4), so you can prioritise controls that reduce the operational impact first.
Operational fit: The guide focuses on OT realities - legacy PLCs, maintenance windows, safety interlocks and constrained devices - so recommendations are feasible and measurable.
Why Download Shieldworkz IEC 62443 guide
Turnkey checklist: A mapped IEC 62443 checklist (zones, conduits, FR1–FR7) you can use to gather evidence this week.
Assessment blueprint: Ready-to-run methodology (kick-off, document review, configuration checks, controlled vulnerability scanning, interviews and physical security review).
Board-ready reporting: Executive summary templates, CSL (Current Security Level) vs. TSL (Target Security Level) mapping, prioritized remediation and estimated effort.
Program guidance: Practical next-steps to move from a gap list to an operational security program aligned to IEC 62443-2-1 and 3-2. (ISA/IEC updates emphasise stronger asset-owner program requirements).
Key takeaways from the guide
Governance first: Executive sponsorship, a cross-functional core team and formalised responsibilities are mandatory preconditions.
Inventory & zones matter: A validated asset inventory and zone/conduit model are the foundation of any meaningful SL determination.
Map controls to FRs: Structure assessments against the seven Foundational Requirements (Identification & Authentication, Use Control, System Integrity, Confidentiality, Restricted Data Flow, Response to Events, Resource Availability).
Measure, don’t guess: Assess Current Security Level (CSL) per zone, define Target SLs and produce a prioritized remediation plan that balances safety, availability and budget.
Continuous cycle: Treat assessments as recurring - assess, remediate, monitor and adapt - and revalidate SLs when systems change or threats evolve.
How Shieldworkz supports you beyond the guide
We pair the guide with hands-on services: asset-to-control mapping, IEC 62443-aligned assessments, tailored remediation roadmaps, and CSIRT/incident playbook alignment that fits OT operational constraints. Our approach shows boards and regulators measurable progress - fewer outages, clearer audit trails and demonstrable SL improvements. Recent industry guidance also points to closer ties between standards like IEC 62443 and national regulatory frameworks (NIS2 mappings and ENISA guidance), which we incorporate into every engagement.
Ready to start your IEC 62443 journey?
Download the Shieldworkz IEC 62443 OT Security Assessment Guide now. Fill the form and our OT specialists will schedule a focused 15-minute intake to tailor the checklist to your facility and show how to convert gaps into an executable remediation plan.
Download your copy today!
Get our Comprehensive and actionable guide to IEC 62443-based OT security assessments and make sure you’re covering every critical control in your industrial network
Why IEC 62443 should be your OT roadmap
Operational Technology (OT) environments are no longer islands: they connect to corporate IT, third-party services and cloud analytics. That connectivity improves operations - and expands attacker pathways. IEC 62443 is the international framework that translates that complexity into measurable security outcomes for industrial control systems. Recent updates to the ISA/IEC family reinforce organisation-wide program requirements and tighter mappings between security program practices and technical controls - changes every asset owner should know.
This Shieldworkz IEC 62443 guide is not a long standard or a vendor brochure. It’s a working assessment playbook built from IEC 62443 principles that you can apply at your substation, plant or process line today. Inside you’ll find: a clear scoping approach, pre-assessment essentials (asset inventory, network diagrams, OEM coordination), a sector-tuned checklist mapped to IEC 62443 Foundational Requirements, evidence templates, and a step-by-step reporting and remediation workflow. The guide also includes a prioritized checklist you can use to run a first-pass assessment or to validate a third-party audit.
Why IEC 62443 matters to decision-makers
Regulatory alignment & auditability: IEC 62443 gives you objective Security Level (SL) targets and evidence points that regulators and auditors expect to see. Recent standard and guidance updates emphasise the need for organisation-level security programs and demonstrable controls.
Risk-based clarity: The standard aligns controls to likely threat capabilities (SL1→SL4), so you can prioritise controls that reduce the operational impact first.
Operational fit: The guide focuses on OT realities - legacy PLCs, maintenance windows, safety interlocks and constrained devices - so recommendations are feasible and measurable.
Why Download Shieldworkz IEC 62443 guide
Turnkey checklist: A mapped IEC 62443 checklist (zones, conduits, FR1–FR7) you can use to gather evidence this week.
Assessment blueprint: Ready-to-run methodology (kick-off, document review, configuration checks, controlled vulnerability scanning, interviews and physical security review).
Board-ready reporting: Executive summary templates, CSL (Current Security Level) vs. TSL (Target Security Level) mapping, prioritized remediation and estimated effort.
Program guidance: Practical next-steps to move from a gap list to an operational security program aligned to IEC 62443-2-1 and 3-2. (ISA/IEC updates emphasise stronger asset-owner program requirements).
Key takeaways from the guide
Governance first: Executive sponsorship, a cross-functional core team and formalised responsibilities are mandatory preconditions.
Inventory & zones matter: A validated asset inventory and zone/conduit model are the foundation of any meaningful SL determination.
Map controls to FRs: Structure assessments against the seven Foundational Requirements (Identification & Authentication, Use Control, System Integrity, Confidentiality, Restricted Data Flow, Response to Events, Resource Availability).
Measure, don’t guess: Assess Current Security Level (CSL) per zone, define Target SLs and produce a prioritized remediation plan that balances safety, availability and budget.
Continuous cycle: Treat assessments as recurring - assess, remediate, monitor and adapt - and revalidate SLs when systems change or threats evolve.
How Shieldworkz supports you beyond the guide
We pair the guide with hands-on services: asset-to-control mapping, IEC 62443-aligned assessments, tailored remediation roadmaps, and CSIRT/incident playbook alignment that fits OT operational constraints. Our approach shows boards and regulators measurable progress - fewer outages, clearer audit trails and demonstrable SL improvements. Recent industry guidance also points to closer ties between standards like IEC 62443 and national regulatory frameworks (NIS2 mappings and ENISA guidance), which we incorporate into every engagement.
Ready to start your IEC 62443 journey?
Download the Shieldworkz IEC 62443 OT Security Assessment Guide now. Fill the form and our OT specialists will schedule a focused 15-minute intake to tailor the checklist to your facility and show how to convert gaps into an executable remediation plan.
Download your copy today!
Get our Comprehensive and actionable guide to IEC 62443-based OT security assessments and make sure you’re covering every critical control in your industrial network
