With the rapid development of information technology, industrial control systems are increasingly exposed to the internet environment, facing unprecedented security challenges. To enhance awareness of industrial information security risk prevention, in 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the ‘Guidelines for Cybersecurity Protection of Industrial Control Systems’ (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Protection Guidelines’). The following is an interpretation of the relevant content:
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1. What is the background and significance of the issuance of the ‘Protection Guidelines’?
As the foundational core of industrial production operations, the cybersecurity of industrial control systems is crucial for enterprise operations and production safety, the stability of the supply chain, and the overall economic and national security. In 2016, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the ‘Guidelines for Information Security Protection of Industrial Control Systems’, which played a positive role in effectively guiding industrial enterprises in carrying out industrial control security protection work. Since 2017, China has successively promulgated laws and regulations such as the ‘Cybersecurity Law’, ‘Data Security Law’, and ‘Cryptography Law’, as well as departmental regulations in industry applications. The 2024 version of the ‘Protection Guidelines’ will effectively meet the current and future cybersecurity protection needs of industrial control systems, guiding industrial enterprises to effectively enhance the baseline protection level of cybersecurity for industrial control systems and promote the digital transformation of enterprises.
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2. Who are the intended recipients of the ‘Protection Guidelines’?
The ‘Protection Guidelines’ are applicable to enterprises that use and operate industrial control systems. The protection targets include industrial control systems and other devices and systems that can directly or indirectly affect production operations after being subjected to cyber attacks.
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3. What is the positioning and overall consideration of the ‘Protection Guidelines’?
The ‘Protection Guidelines’ are positioned as a guiding document for industrial enterprises to enhance cybersecurity protection, adhering to the principle of coordinated development and security. It focuses on four aspects: security management, technical protection, secure operations, and accountability, proposing thirty-three guiding baseline security requirements to address prominent issues faced by industrial control systems in the process of new industrialization.
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4. How do the ‘Protection Guidelines’ guide enterprises in enhancing cybersecurity protection?
First, focus on security risk management, highlighting key management targets and enhancing the security management capabilities of industrial enterprises. It proposes security requirements around four key management areas: industrial control system assets, configurations, supply chains, and personnel, aiming to clarify the asset base of the system and ensure the basic operational safety of the system, while avoiding the introduction of cybersecurity risks into industrial control systems and reducing the likelihood of cybersecurity incidents.
Second, focus on critical weak links in security, strengthening technical response strategies and enhancing the cybersecurity protection capabilities of industrial enterprises. Based on ensuring the safety of industrial hosts and terminal devices, it further prevents intrusion attacks from internal and external networks, emphasizes the safety of devices and services in new scenarios such as cloud and platform usage, and implements classified and graded protection of data security.
Third, focus on frequently occurring cybersecurity risks, enhancing threat detection and response capabilities, and improving the operational security capabilities of industrial enterprises. It proposes security measures such as deploying cybersecurity monitoring tools, establishing cybersecurity operation centers, and ensuring effective emergency response, while requiring regular cybersecurity risk assessments and protection capability evaluations, conducting routine system vulnerability checks, and implementing security hardening.
Fourth, focus on resource assurance for industrial enterprises, adhering to the principle of coordinated development and security, and urging enterprises to fulfill their cybersecurity responsibilities. It proposes security requirements around establishing industrial control security management systems, clarifying responsibilities for industrial control security protection, and ensuring that security technical measures are synchronized with the construction of industrial control systems.
Editor: Jiang YuReviewed by: Guo XuedongApproved by: Wang Bo
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