IEC 62443
International standard for IACS cybersecurity lifecycle framework
ISO 27018
International code of practice for public cloud PII protection.
Quick Verdict
IEC 62443 secures industrial control systems with zones, security levels, and certifications for OT resilience. ISO 27018 protects PII in public clouds via processor controls and transparency. Companies adopt them for supply chain assurance, regulatory compliance, and risk reduction.
IEC 62443
IEC 62443: Industrial automation and control systems security
Key Features
- Zones and conduits for risk-based segmentation
- SL-T, SL-C, SL-A security level triad
- Shared responsibility across asset owners, integrators, suppliers
- Seven foundational requirements for systems/components
- Modular ISASecure certifications (SDLA, CSA, SSA)
ISO 27018
ISO/IEC 27018:2025 Code of practice for cloud PII processors
Key Features
- Privacy controls tailored for public cloud PII processors
- Subprocessor transparency and location disclosure requirements
- Prohibits PII use for marketing without consent
- Breach notification obligations to PII controllers
- Supports data minimization and subject rights handling
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
IEC 62443 Details
What It Is
IEC 62443 is the international consensus-based series of standards for securing Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS). It provides a comprehensive, risk-based framework spanning governance, risk assessment, system architecture, and component requirements tailored to OT environments with unique constraints like availability and safety.
Key Components
- Four groupings: General (-1), Policies (-2), System (-3), Components (-4).
- Seven **Foundational Requirements (FR1-7)IAC, UC, SI, DC, RDF, TRE, RA.
- Zones/conduits model and security levels (SL 0-4).
- ISASecure modular certifications: SDLA (4-1), CSA (4-2), SSA (3-3).
Why Organizations Use It
- Mitigates OT cyber risks to safety, availability, production.
- Enables supplier qualification, procurement specs, insurance benefits.
- Builds stakeholder trust via shared responsibility and certifications.
- Supports regulatory alignment as horizontal standard.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: CSMS establishment (2-1), risk assessment/zoning (3-2), controls (3-3/4-2), certification.
- Applies to asset owners, integrators, suppliers in critical infrastructure.
- Requires OT expertise, audits for maturity levels (ML1-4).
ISO 27018 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 27018:2025 is an international code of practice extending ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27002 to protect personally identifiable information (PII) processed by public cloud service providers (CSPs) acting as PII processors. Its risk-based approach addresses cloud-specific privacy risks like multi-tenancy, subprocessors, and cross-border flows.
Key Components
- ~25–30 privacy-specific controls integrated into ISO 27001 Annex A (Organizational, People, Physical, Technological themes).
- Principles: consent/choice, purpose limitation, data minimization, accuracy, retention/disclosure limits, security safeguards, transparency, accountability.
- Assessed within ISO 27001 ISMS audits; no standalone certification.
Why Organizations Use It
- Enhances customer trust, speeds procurement via Statement of Applicability.
- Aligns with GDPR Article 28, HIPAA processor duties.
- Lowers insurance friction, proves due care in breaches.
- Differentiates CSPs, boosts market competitiveness.
Implementation Overview
- Conduct gap analysis on existing ISMS, integrate controls.
- Activities: subprocessor disclosures, training, breach procedures, audit prep.
- Applies to CSPs all sizes/industries; needs ISO 27001 base.
- Annual surveillance audits confirm compliance. (178 words)
Key Differences
| Aspect | IEC 62443 | ISO 27018 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | IACS/OT cybersecurity lifecycle, zones/conduits, SLs | PII protection in public clouds for processors |
| Industry | Industrial sectors (energy, manufacturing, utilities) globally | Cloud service providers handling PII globally |
| Nature | Voluntary consensus standards series, certifiable | Code of practice extending ISO 27001, not standalone |
| Testing | ISASecure modular certifications (CSA/SSA/SDLA) | Integrated into ISO 27001 audits, annual surveillance |
| Penalties | No legal penalties, loss of certification/market access | No direct penalties, impacts ISO 27001 certification |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about IEC 62443 and ISO 27018
IEC 62443 FAQ
ISO 27018 FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...
SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria in Plain English: Side-by-Side Decoder with Real-World Analogies
Decode SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria (Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, Privacy) into plain English with tables, TL;DRs & analogies
NIST CSF 2.0 Govern Function Deep Dive: Building Executive Cybersecurity Governance from Scratch
Step-by-step blueprint for NIST CSF 2.0 Govern function: templates, RACI matrices, metrics to elevate cybersecurity governance to boardroom level. Reduce breach
Beyond Reactive: Transforming Compliance into Real-Time Threat Prevention
Discover how modern compliance monitoring tools leverage continuous, real-time oversight and automated alerts to shift organizations from reactive problem-solving to proactive threat detection and prevention, safeguarding against emerging risks before they escalate.
Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM
Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform
Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.
Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages
IEC 62443 vs ISO 28000
Compare IEC 62443 vs ISO 28000: OT cybersecurity zones/SLs vs supply chain resilience. Key differences, benefits & implementation. Secure IACS now!
POPIA vs GLBA
Discover POPIA vs GLBA: South Africa's GDPR-aligned privacy law meets US financial safeguards. Unpack scope, rights, enforcement diffs. Boost global compliance now!
DORA vs FSSC 22000
DORA vs FSSC 22000: EU finance resilience regulation battles GFSI food safety scheme. Key differences, compliance tips & benefits—boost your strategy now!