Organizations are developing initiatives aimed at raising awareness of cyber risks in the field of operational technologies (OT) and promoting technical collaboration between different entities.

The International Society of Automation (ISA) and the Operational Technology Cybersecurity Coalition (OTCC) have announced a partnership focused on strengthening OT cybersecurity in critical infrastructure. As part of this collaboration, a memorandum of understanding was signed to facilitate joint efforts on initiatives to inform about risks and solutions in OT cybersecurity, analyze strategic issues of mutual interest, and foster technical cooperation among members of both organizations.

The main goal of the partnership is to support the adoption and recognition of key cybersecurity standards, such as ISA/IEC 62443.

Recently, OTCC published a position paper advocating for the implementation of a single, universal OT cybersecurity standard instead of multiple industry-specific requirements. The document recommends recognizing ISA/IEC 62443 as the global standard for OT security. It also notes that ISA/IEC 62443 provides a well-established framework specifically designed to meet OT requirements and can help harmonize standards, reducing the burden of complying with overlapping regulations.

ISA and OTCC approach OT cybersecurity from different perspectives: ISA focuses on developing standards and defining best practices, while OTCC brings together companies that implement these standards. Combining these approaches helps translate standards from theory into practice and encourages joint efforts to achieve OT cybersecurity goals.