When confronting the serious risks posed by industrial cyberattack, today’s manufacturers need a comprehensive set of capabilities—best-practice standards and compliance as well as workforce training and education.
The International Society of Automation—the worldwide professional association of automation professionals and an IMEC partner—has developed proven industrial automation and control systems (IACS) standards (ISA99/IEC 62443) and a widely recognized compliance and testing program (ISASecure™) to ensure IACS device and equipment conformance to the standards.
Standards and compliance programs, however, are not enough. A capable, well-trained cybersecurity workforce also is essential. The ever-rising volume of industrial cyberattacks combined with the increasing diversity and sophistication of cyberwarfare tactics have generated a tremendous demand for qualified industrial cybersecurity professionals. In fact, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is growing 12 times faster than the job market overall.
ISA recently introduced three new cybersecurity courses that enable it to deliver a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity training solutions. The three new ISA industrial cybersecurity training courses are:
- Assessing the Cybersecurity of New or Existing IACS Systems (IC33)
- IACS Cybersecurity Design & Implementation (IC34)
- IACS Cybersecurity Operations & Maintenance (IC37)
By combining these three new courses and aligned certificate programs with its current course offerings in IACS security—Using the ANSI/ISA-62443 Standards to Secure Your Industrial Control System (IC32); Cybersecurity for Automation, Control, and SCADA Systems (IC32E); and Introduction to Industrial Automation Security and the ANSI/ISA-62443 Standards (IC32C)—ISA is able to address the complete “lifecycle” of cybersecurity training requirements: assessment, design, implementation, operations and management.
ISA’s cybersecurity certificate programs are offered to those who successfully complete the requirements of ISA’s cybersecurity courses. Passage of each of the three new certificate exams bestows specialist recognition—enhanced evidence and endorsement of a cybersecurity professional’s subject-matter proficiency.
ISA already offers a first tier, introductory cybersecurity certificate exam—leading to the designation as ISA99 Cybersecurity Fundamentals Specialist—for those who complete ISA courses IC32 or IC32E. Those who complete all four core ISA cybersecurity courses (IC32, IC33, IC34 and IC37) and pass all corresponding certificate exams will achieve the designation level of ISA99 Cybersecurity Expert.
For more information on ISA’s extensive cybersecurity training courses—as well as its IACS standards, compliance and certificate programs, and educational resources—view ISA’s Cybersecurity Resources web page. For questions and assistance, contact ISA’s Charley Robinson via email at crobinson@isa.org or by calling +1 919-990-9213.
