Meeting IEC 62443 Compliance: How CimTrak Secures Industrial Control Systems

The Rising Stakes in Critical Infrastructure Security

Cybersecurity has traditionally been framed as an IT issue, protecting desktops, databases, and cloud platforms. But the real frontier is deeper. It's in the industrial systems that power our grids, drive our factories, safeguard our hospitals, and keep our transportation moving. 

These operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems (ICS) form the backbone of critical infrastructure. They were designed decades ago with reliability, not cybersecurity, in mind. Today, as these systems become increasingly connected, they've also become increasingly vulnerable.

At Cimcor, we created the CimTrak Integrity Suite to address these very challenges. CimTrak doesn't just align with IEC 62443—it helps organizations implement and sustain compliance in real-world environments. This includes both IT assets and the often-overlooked OT layer, which extends monitoring through our Network Flex module, directly into industrial devices.

Summary

CimTrak helps organizations meet IEC 62443 compliance by continuously monitoring IT and OT systems, detecting unauthorized changes, and restoring trusted configurations to protect critical infrastructure while ensuring that operations run smoothly. With real-time alerts and deep visibility into industrial devices, CimTrak makes it easier to prevent cyber threats, reduce downtime, and simplify compliance reporting. 

What is IEC 62443 and Why It Matters for ICS Security

Developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission, the IEC 62443 standard is the global benchmark for securing industrial automation and control systems (IACS). It provides the structure, requirements, and guidance organizations need to reduce risk and harden operations. 

IEC 62443 isn't just one standard, but an entire series of standards covering both process and technology.

At its heart are the Foundational Requirements (FRs) defined in IEC 62443-4-2. These requirements apply to components of industrial systems, from servers to PLCs. They include:

• FR1 - Identification & Authentication Control (IAC)
• FR2 - Use Control (US)
• FR3 - System Integrity (SI)
• FR4 - Data Confidentiality (DC)
• FR5 - Restricted Data Flow (RDF)
• FR6 - Timely Response to Events (TRE)
• FR7 - Resource Availability (RA)

Each FR can be implemented at increasing Security Levels (SL1 through SL4), progressing from protection against accidental misuse to defense against nation-state-level attackers. 

For asset owners and operators, the challenge is not only implementing these controls, but also proving they are working continuously. CimTrak addresses both sides of that equation.

How CimTrak Maps to IEC 62443

The CimTrak Integrity Suite is designed to ensure the integrity of systems across servers, endpoints, databases, network devices, and OT equipment. Let's walk through how CimTrak supports each of the IEC 62443 foundational requirements. 

FR1: Identification & Authentication Control (IAC)

IEC 62443 requires strong controls to ensure only authenticated and authorized users or systems can make changes. CimTrak supports this by:

• Recording who or what initiates each change
• Verifying that authentication and access mechanisms themselves have not been compromised
• Creating immutable audit trails that tie identity directly to actions

The result: Identity-based accountability across both IT and OT systems. 

FR2: Use Control (UC)

Beyond authentication, IEC 62443 requires control over what authenticated users are allowed to do. CimTrak supports this by:

• Monitoring privileged activities in real time
• Detecting unauthorized or out-of-policy actions, such as attempts to modify controller firmware outside approved windows
• Providing forensic visibility to support investigation and remediation

This creates a second line of defense, ensuring policies are enforced, not just defined.

FR3: System Integrity (SI)

Integrity is CimTrak's foundation. IEC 62443 mandates assurance that systems remain in a known and trusted state. CimTrak delivers this by:

• Continuously monitoring for unauthorized or unexpected changes to software, firmware, and hardware
• Detecting and preventing drift from approved baselines
• Leveraging the Trusted File Registry™ to validate whether changes represent legitimate updates or malicious tampering

For ICS environments, this ensures that production and safety systems are never quietly undermined.

FR4: Data Confidentiality (DC)

Protecting sensitive operational data is critical. CimTrak supports confidentiality by:

• Monitoring file permissions and access control lists
• Detecting unauthorized attempts to read or exfiltrate sensitive files
• Ensuring that ACLs and permissions remain aligned with policy

This safeguards sensitive recipes, telemetry, and other critical operational information.

FR5: Restricted Data Flow (RDF)

Industrial systems must enforce segmentation and least privilege across networks. CimTrak enhances RDF compliance through two approaches:

1. Monitoring changes to network device configurations (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Fortinet, and others)
2. Leveraging the Network Flex module, which uses secure SSH connections to continuously monitor OT device configuration data, including routers, firewalls, and industrial controllers

If segmentation rules are altered, whether maliciously or accidentally, CimTrak detects the change immediately and enables rollback to the last trusted configuration. This ensures restricted data flows remain protected across IT and OT alike.

FR6: Timely Response to Events (TRE)

IEC 62443 emphasizes not just detection, but rapid response. CimTrak meets this by:

• Generating real-time alerts on unauthorized changes
• Integrating seamlessly with SIEMs like Splunk, QRadar, and ArcSight
• Automating rollback to trusted baselines
• Extending this into OT through Network Flex ensures that if a switch, firewall, or PLC gateway is altered, alerts and remediations happen within minutes

This ensures coordinated, timely responses across both IT and OT systems.

FR7: Resource Availability (RA)

Availability is paramount in industrial environments. CimTrak supports RA by:

• Monitoring services, registry keys, scheduled tasks,  and other uptime-critical configurations
• Automatically restoring damaged or deleted files to maintain operations. 
• Using Network Flex to prevent OT downtime caused by malicious changes or accidental configurations

In practice, this means that even if attackers attempt to disrupt supported controllers, level 1.5, level 2, or level 3+ systems, or network devices, CimTrak can restore configurations and keep operations running. 

Monitoring OT Devices with CimTrak's Network Flex Module

While much of IEC 62443 focuses on ensuring the integrity of servers, workstations, and traditional IT assets, the standard was built first and foremost to protect industrial control systems and OT devices. These systems—PLCs, RTUs, firewalls, and other networked controllers—are often the most difficult to secure because they typically reside outside the traditional IT monitoring tools.

CimTrak bridges this gap with our Network Flex module. Using secure protocols like SSH, Network Flex can:

• Continuously monitor configuration data on OT devices, such as firewalls, routers, and industrial controllers
• Detect unauthorized or unexpected modifications to device settings that could compromise segmentation, availability, or safety
• Roll back to a trusted configuration in the event of malicious changes or accidental configurations

This functionality ties directly to IEC 62443 requirements for:

• FR5: Restricted Data Flow (RDF) - ensuring network segmentation rules remain enforced
• FR6: Timely Response to Events (TRE) - alerting and enabling rapid remediation when unauthorized device changes occur
• FR7: Resource Availability (RA) - maintaining resilient, known, good configurations that protect uptime in critical systems

With Network Flex, CimTrak provides a holistic view across IT and OT assets, ensuring that compliance with IEC 62443 extends all the way from the data center to the factory floor and from cloud platforms to the control network itself.

Beyond Compliance: Why CimTrak is Different

Plenty of tools claim compliance support. CimTrak is different because it enables:

• Continuous monitoring, not just periodic audits
• Automated remediation, not just alerts
• Broad coverage—servers, workstations, ICS devices, databases, cloud workloads, and OT infrastructure
• Workflow integration with ITSM tools like ServiceNow and Remedy

With CimTrak, IEC 62443 compliance becomes a living, operationalized practice—not a simple box-checking exercise.

Real World Example: Preventing an ICS Attack

Imagine a manufacturer where an attacker gains access to an engineering workstation and attempts to modify the configuration of an HMI (Human Machine Interface) or a SCADA system:

1. CimTrak detects the change instantly
2. The system records exactly who or what initiated the change
3. Alerts are sent in real time to engineers and security teams
4. CimTrak rolls back the firmware to its last known trusted version
5. Audit-ready reports document the entire sequence

In this scenario, CimTrak enables compliance with FR1, FR3, FR6, and FR7 simultaneously—while preventing a potentially catastrophic disruption.

Evidence and Reporting: Proving Compliance

IEC 62443 required not just controls, but evidence. CimTrak provides:

• Automated audit reports across IEC 62443, NIST, CIS Controls, PCI-DSS, and more
• Dashboards and exports that regulators and auditors can use directly
• Immutable records of change, remediation, and compliance posture

This transforms compliance from a burden into a competitive advantage.

Supported Platforms: Comprehensive Coverage

CimTrak provides broad platform support across IT and OT:

• Servers & Endpoints: Windows, Linux, macOS, Solaris, AIX, and more
• Databases: SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, DB2
• Network Devices: Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Fortinet, F5, Check Point
• Cloud & Containers: AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, Docker, Podman
• OT/ICS Devices: Via the Network Flex module using SSH monitoring
• SIEM & ITSM Integrations: Splunk, QRadar, ServiceNow, Remedy

This ensures compliance across hybrid IT/OT ecosystems, not just isolated silos.

Compliance, Security, and Resilience - Delivered

IEC 62443 exists to safeguard the systems that keep the world running. CimTrak helps organizations not only align with the standard but also embed its principles into daily operations. 

With CimTrak Integrity Suite and the Network Flex module, organizations can:

• Detect and prevent unauthorized changes
• Rapidly respond and remediate incidents
• Protect IT and OT systems from evolving threats
• Prove compliance with continuous, audit-ready reporting
• Reduce downtime

IEC 62443 compliance isn't just about checking boxes. It's about building resilience into the heart of critical infrastructure. With CimTrak, resilience is exactly what you get. 

Ready to strengthen your ICS and OT security while meeting IEC 62443 compliance? Request a demo of CimTrak and discover how continuous integrity monitoring streamlines compliance and safeguards critical infrastructure.