Cisco Earns Dual IEC 62443 Certifications for Catalyst IE3x00 Rugged Switches

Industries that rely on automation and control—manufacturing, transportation, utilities—depend on the ISA99/IEC 62443 standards to protect critical infrastructure. At Cisco, we’re proud to have contributed to shaping these standards and to be among the first networking vendors to secure dual IEC 62443 certifications for our industrial switches.

In July, Cisco achieved dual certification for the Cisco Catalyst IE3x00 Rugged Series Switches, devices that deliver robust security, resilience, and flexibility at the network edge.

This combined certification—covering IEC 62443‑4‑2 and IEC 62443‑4‑1—addresses both product security and the secure development life‑cycle. It positions Cisco to help customers meet procurement mandates and maintain ongoing assurance that our products can be trusted.

Product Security Certification: IEC 62443‑4‑2

IEC 62443‑4‑2 defines the Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems: Technical Security Requirements for IACS Components. The standard specifies cybersecurity requirements for embedded devices, network components, host components, and software applications that make up an IACS. For the Cisco Catalyst IE3x00 Rugged Series Switches, the certification confirms the following capabilities:

• Hardware trust anchor and Secureboot
• Run‑time defenses
• Visibility and troubleshooting
• Modern cryptography
• Authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA)

Product Life‑Cycle Certification: IEC 62443‑4‑1

In April, Cisco received certification for IEC 62443‑4‑1—Product Security Development Life‑cycle Requirements—across all IoT and Industrial IoT products in our portfolio. This milestone reflects our longstanding commitment to a secure development lifecycle and acknowledges that Cisco’s Secure Development Lifecycle helped shape the global standard.

With this certification, customers gain confidence that every phase of the Cisco Secure Development Lifecycle meets rigorous cybersecurity standards, eliminating back‑doors and reinforcing a security culture that ensures our products remain secure even after new features or updates are introduced. This is critical as Industrial IoT (IIoT) converges with existing IACS in increasingly agile environments.

My colleague, Maik Seewald—an ISA99 and IEC 62443 standards contributor—explains the significance of these dual certifications: “When customers choose Cisco Catalyst IE3x00 Rugged Series Switches, they can trust that we meet the component requirements of IEC 62443‑4‑2, and the dual certification with IEC 62443‑4‑1 guarantees that this is more than a snapshot. It confirms that a secure development process is integral to product creation and deeply embedded in our development culture.”

These certifications are only the beginning of Cisco’s dedication to industrial security. In August, we completed the acquisition of Sentryo, a France‑based company that delivers asset visibility and cybersecurity solutions for industrial control systems. Security remains a top priority for our customers, and Cisco IoT will continue to develop and deliver certified products that meet their evolving needs.