Securing Australia’s Critical Infrastructure: How IEC 62443 Strengthens SOCI Act Compliance

Australia is taking bold steps to safeguard the essential systems that keep the country running—rom electricity and water to transport, healthcare and communications. With the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act and official adoption of the IEC 62443 series as national standards (designated as IEC 62443) for operational technology (OT) environments, the Australian government has set clear expectations for how organizations must protect their most vital assets.

Now that the legislative requirements have been set, organizations will have to decide what practical steps must be taken to meet these obligations and raise their resilience. IEC 62443 offers specific, implementation-focused requirements on risk assessment, security levels, zones and conduits, and managing the security lifecycle for industrial system — all of which can be supported with the Nozomi Networks platform.

Tying Together IEC 62443 and the SOCI Act

First introduced in 2018 and strengthened in 2021–2022, the SOCI Act places “positive security obligations” on entities across 11 critical sectors. This includes everything from registering critical assets and reporting cyber incidents to implementing board-approved risk management programs under the Critical Infrastructure Risk Management Program (CIRMP) framework. With compliance deadlines already in effect, the Act makes it clear: protecting OT and critical infrastructure is no longer optional. This is good news for everyone in Australia. Citizens, businesses and tourists alike can be assured that the security of essential services and infrastructure is now the focus of dedicated, ongoing improvement and protection.

While SOCI defines what needs to be done, it leaves organizations with some flexibility in how to achieve it. That’s where IEC 62443 provides immense value. The series of standards has been adopted in many countries, and its best practices are now set to benefit Australia as well. IEC 62443 offers a comprehensive, globally recognized approach to securing critical infrastructure, breaking down requirements for asset identification, network segmentation, patch and change management, identity and access control, secure communications and incident response.

In other words, SOCI sets the destination — and IEC 62443 provides the roadmap, no matter what the target industry is.

Achieving Compliance with the Nozomi Networks Platform

IEC 62443 requires organizations to identify and assess assets, manage vulnerabilities and protect against unauthorized access. Purpose-built for OT and IoT environments, the Nozomi Networks platform enables compliance through automated asset discovery, network mapping and real-time risk scoring, which directly supports requirements around asset inventory, system security levels and security risk assessments. Its anomaly and intrusion detection capabilities also help organizations meet requirements for continuous monitoring and incident detection (e.g., IEC 62443-3-3 and 62443-2-1).

Together, these capabilities allow infrastructure owners and operators to meet their SOCI obligations and map their maturity and capabilities directly against IEC 62443 standards. This provides assurance for the owner, operator, shareholder, insurer and the Australian population.

To help accelerate practical implementation and compliance, Nozomi Networks has developed an IEC 62443 Mapping Guide and Content Pack, giving you an in depth look at how our platform helps apply the standards, as well as customizable queries, reports and dashboards that align with specific clauses. The content pack takes the heavy lifting out of audits and board reporting, ensuring that organizations can not only demonstrate compliance but also benchmark and improve their security posture over time.

To help with the unique needs of Australian operators, watch our webinar for guidance on OT mapping, asset discovery, SOCI compliance strategies and security roadmap design.

Don't Just Check the Box

By incorporating IEC 62443 into its national standards, the Australian government requires OT asset owners to do much more than check boxes. Businesses grow when compliance is a pathway to risk management programs, stronger resilience, safer operations, more confident boards and demonstrable return on investment.

The SOCI Act demands accountability. IEC 62443 provides world-leading best practices, and Nozomi Networks delivers the technology to implement both. This means Australian critical infrastructure operators can easily have access to everything they need to stay ahead of evolving threats while meeting regulatory expectations, and access global expertise while partnering with the world leader in securing critical infrastructure.

Let us work with you to ensure that the services millions of Australians rely on every day remain safe, reliable and resilient. With the right frameworks and solutions in place, that goal is well within reach. To learn more about the Nozomi Networks security platform and see it in action, request a demo today.