26. March 2026

8 MIN.

IEC 62443 – Systematic industrial cybersecurity

At the end of 2024, TRIOVEGA received its first  IEC 62443-4-1 certification, with recertification in December 2025. It was necessary to adapt and implement existing processes, but also to create new ones. The independent audit carried out by TÜV Rheinland included a review of documentation for all processes as well as a multi-day on-site assessment to verify that cybersecurity measures can be implemented throughout the entire product lifecycle.

As experts in industrial cybersecurity, we firmly believe that cybersecurity must be embedded as a fundamental principle in every step of development, and firmly anchored in the company culture. IEC 62443 series of standards series of standards provides an internationally recognized framework, specifically for this purpose, that systematically defines cybersecurity in industrial manufacturing, from the development of individual components to the operation of complete OT environments.

In this article, we explain what is behind the standard, why it is important in the context of current EU regulations such as NIS2 and CRA and how our own certification not only strengthens us as a company, but also directly helps our customers.

What is the IEC 62443 standard, and what does it regulate?

The IEC 62443 is not a single standard, but a modular series of standards. Its goal is Ensuring cybersecurity throughout the entire life cycle of industrial systems, from design to integration and operation.

The standards series is divided into six categories:

General principles and terminology
Introduction to basic concepts such as Zones & Conduits, Defense-in-Depth, role allocation, and security objectives.

Security requirements for asset owners and service providers
Aimed at plant operators and describes organizational measures, processes, and management systems.

Security requirements for automation systems
Describes basic security technologies, such as authentication, encryption, etc., risk management approaches, and security requirements for industrial production systems.

Requirements for secure automation components
Applies to manufacturers and developers of components and defines the requirements for secure development processes and products.

Profiles
Still in the planning stage (as of late 2025), and will define industry-specific security requirements for structured, practical implementation

Evaluations methodologies
Published most recently, this category sets out the conformity criteria and supporting evidence for evaluating compliance with the requirements defined in the preceding categories.

The overarching categories are further subdivided into individual parts that can be evaluated independently. Each category has five maturity levels, indicating how fully the requirements have been implemented within the organization.

The certification according to IEC 62443-4-1 Maturity Level 2 by TRIOVEGA indicates that the requirements for secure product development can be reliably met across diverse product scenarios (Category 4, Part 1, IEC 62443) throughout the entire product lifecycle.

The critical role of IEC 62443 in complying with NIS2 and CRA

With the NIS 2 Directive and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) the EU mandates companies to significantly strengthen the cybersecurity of critical infrastructures and digital products. Both sets of regulations require companies to implement systematic risk management, security by design, and clear verifiability of the protective measures taken. NIS2 deals with information security throughout the entire company and its supply chain, while the CRA focuses on end products with networked components.

However, even when the objectives are clearly defined in the regulation, the question of “how” remains unanswered. As yet, neither NIS-2 nor CRA  specify which concrete measures, tools, or process standards are to be used to meet the requirements. For machine operators and manufacturers of products with network-compatible components, certification in individual parts of IEC 62443 can form a strong basis for meeting compliance requirements. It is important to recognize that the organizational and governance requirements of NIS-2 must be addressed in addition to the technical focus of the IEC 62443 series, and that compliance cannot be assured through IEC 62443 certification alone.

For operators of manufacturing facilities – effectively the majority of production companies – the areas of most relevance to NIS2 are IEC 62443-2 (Risk management for asset owners & service providers) and IEC 62443-3 (Security mechanisms and technologies for industrial automation systems).

For manufacturers of networked products – including machine manufacturers, as modern machines generally contain networked components – the IEC 62443-4 area with its specifications on a safe product life cycle and safe components can provide assistance for the CRA.

How do TRIOVEGA customers benefit from our IEC 62443 certification?

Not every plant operator or manufacturing SME would benefit from pursuing an individual IEC 62443 certification. However, the collaboration with a certified partner offers many advantages.

Advantages for asset owners:
TRIOVEGA achieved IEC 62443-4-1 certification in the course of developing the OT security solution edge.SHIELDOR. This is placed over [SW1] production systems like a protective dome and securely integrates them into the existing corporate network.

Development processes certified according to IEC 62443-4-1 ensure that security principles such as Security by Design and DevSecOps methods are systematically integrated into the development. Due to the structured implementation and documented verification of requirements, asset owners find it easier to interpret and apply their security obligations under standards such as IEC 62443-3 and regulations like NIS-2, helping them reach compliance goals more effectively.

Advantages for product manufacturers:
With TRIOVEGA Custom Software Solutions we help customers from various industries to develop their software products or software modules, e.g. in compliance with IEC 62443-4. We provide documentation such as threat modeling, defense in depth design, test reports, and vulnerability reports as a standard part of software development, or we support clients in preparing these documents. This can significantly accelerate audit preparation and assist in meeting regulatory requirements, such as the CRA.

Machine manufacturers benefit not only from our broad cybersecurity expertise, but also from our specialized knowledge in OT security. We are committed to the development of machines that are built for long-term security, with protection from emerging attack vectors during operation.

Conclusion: Achieve security and compliance goals with strategic partnerships

Working with a certified partner is key to ensuring consistently high levels of cybersecurity. Not only can the necessary standards and regulatory requirements be met faster, but all stakeholders also benefit from established best practices, resulting in higher and more dependable cybersecurity.

With edge.SHIELDOR, plant operators can increase their OT security while extending machine runtimes. TRIOVEGA Custom Software Solutions supports manufacturers with highly customized development services that reinforce company-wide security concepts, and reduce the time to audit readiness.

If you would like to find out what a partnership could look like for your specific project please contact us directly.

Autor: Dr. Simon Walz

Dr. Simon Walz is Head of Product Development at TRIOVEGA. With over ten years of experience in industrial software development, and a strong focus on IT and OT security, he is responsible for the development of secure software solutions, and the implementation of standards such as IEC 62443 in practice. He also supports customer projects from the technical conception through to the implementation of evolving protection measures.

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