ISASecure is developing the HCSA scheme with the NSA, based on its existing CSA certification program.
The International Society of Automation (ISA) announced that ISASecure, a wholly owned subsidiary of ISA, is partnering with the United States National Security Agency (NSA) to develop a certification scheme for commercial operational technology (OT) components sold by manufacturers and procured by the U.S. government for use in National Security Systems (NSS). The certification scheme is intended to support the security of high-criticality OT systems and provide a consistent basis for evaluating the security of commercial components.
Industrial cybersecurity is important as islands of automation continue to be integrated on the plant floor, with other application, in the enterprise and throughout the supply chain for factory automation and process controls.
ISA developed security levels (SL) with corresponding cybersecurity requirements for OT components in the international OT cybersecurity standard ISA 62443-4-2. In addition, NSA’s Operational Technology Assurance Partnership (OTAP) Program published six technical security requirements in its April 2025 NSA/CSS Cybersecurity Technical Report, “Operational Technology Assurance Partnership: Smart Controller Security within National Security Systems”.
To support this requirement, ISASecure is developing a separate High Criticality Component Security Assurance (HCSA) certification scheme based on its existing Component Security Assurance certification scheme (CSA). If the OTAP program office accepts the completed ISASecure HCSA scheme, the NSA will use it as a certification mechanism in the evaluation process for adding OT OEM components to the NSS OT Product Compliant List (PCL).
“This is a major achievement in the history of ISASecure,” said Dr. Mark P. DeAngelo, program manager of ISASecure. “The NSA recognizes the importance of the ISA 62443 standard and the ISASecure program, which independently evaluates a product’s conformity to the ISA 62443 standard. ISASecure’s reputation and commitment to robust OT security precedes the NSA’s decision to partner with us. Our CSA product certification set the foundation for HCSA.”
An ISASecure HCSA certificate provides evidence that may be considered when evaluating a product for inclusion on the NSA’s NSS OT PCL. ISASecure certification may be part of the evaluation process before a smart controller is considered for purchase and installation within an NSS.
ISA
Edited by Puja Mitra, Arrowfly, for Control Engineering, from a ISA news release.
