🚀 Introduction: Cybersecurity Paradigm in the Digital Transformation Era

In today’s industrial environment, Digital Transformation is accelerating rapidly, driving the convergence of Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT). “Global cyber attacks increased by 30% in Q2 2024, reaching an average of 1,636 weekly attacks per organization” according to CheckPoint research, demonstrating the severity of threats against Industrial Control Systems (ICS).

Particularly concerning is that ransomware attacks targeting manufacturing increased by 56% year-over-year, accounting for 29% of publicly extorted victims globally. This statistic reveals the limitations of traditional security approaches. In this environment, Cyber-PHA (Cyber Process Hazard Analysis) has emerged as an innovative risk assessment methodology that integrates industrial safety with cybersecurity.

🔍 Cyber-PHA Concept and Definition

Cyber-PHA stands for ‘Cyber Process Hazard Analysis’, a SIS (Safety Instrumented System) cybersecurity risk assessment procedure defined in the ISA-TR84.00.09-2017 technical report. This represents a safety-oriented cybersecurity risk assessment methodology that extends traditional PHA/HAZOP methodologies into the cybersecurity domain.

According to Mark Duck from Shell’s Projects & Technology organization, who presented at the 2019 ARC Industry Forum, Cyber-PHA integrates cybersecurity perspectives into existing process safety methodologies to systematically assess cyber attack risks that could impact physical world safety.

⚙️ ISA/IEC 62443-Based Risk Assessment Methodology

The ISA/IEC 62443-3-2 standard provides a systematic work process for cybersecurity risk assessment of Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS). The Detailed Cybersecurity Risk Assessment defined in this standard represents the core of Cyber-PHA methodology.

🛠️ Practical Application and Implementation Strategy

Successful Cyber-PHA implementation requires careful consideration of organizational maturity levels and integration with existing processes. Professional tools like the aeCyberPHA Facilitation Suite announced by aeCyberSolutions are being developed for ISA/IEC 62443-3-2 compliant risk assessments.

Business Impact Assessment is one of the unique features of Cyber-PHA. While traditional PHA doesn’t consider consequential business losses, cybersecurity risk assessment must include this essential component. “Ransomware recovery costs averaged $3.58 million” according to Sophos research, demonstrating the importance of this assessment.

The SPR (Security PHA Review) methodology represents an evolved form of Cyber-PHA, focusing on implementing safeguards that are inherently safe against cyberattacks rather than setting high SL targets. This approach fundamentally eliminates risks through “unhackable” safety barriers.

🏭 Industry-Specific Applications and Case Studies

Shell’s Cyber-PHA Implementation presents a successful application model in the petrochemical industry. Shell strengthened its response capabilities against process safety system-specific malware through ISA-TR84.00.09-based Cyber-PHA assessments. Following the emergence of process safety system-specific malware in manufacturing in 2017, the need for safety and cybersecurity convergence became even more critical.

The German battery manufacturer VARTA Group experienced a ransomware attack in 2024 that disrupted five battery manufacturing plants and administrative operations for several weeks. This incident exemplified the warning in Dragos’s 2025 OT Cybersecurity Report that “manufacturing is becoming a primary target of ransomware attacks”.

Halliburton Company also faced unauthorized third-party access to its systems in 2024, leading to restricted access to business applications and requiring system recovery efforts. These cases demonstrate the critical importance of Cyber-PHA’s preventive approach.

🎯 Conclusion: Future-Oriented Cybersecurity Strategy

Cyber-PHA transcends being merely a security checklist tool and represents a core methodology that redefines the industrial safety paradigm for the digital age. “93% of organizations plan to increase cybersecurity spending by 2025” according to Gartner research, showing the continuously growing importance of this field.

As AI and machine learning advancements make cyber attacks increasingly sophisticated, Cyber-PHA becomes essential for building predictive and proactive security response systems. Particularly, “social engineering, cloud intrusions, and malware-free techniques surged in 2024” according to CrowdStrike’s report, clearly demonstrating the limitations of traditional security approaches.

With IEC’s approval of the IEC 62443 standards as ‘Horizontal Standards’, they will serve as the foundation for all operational technology-related standard development. This signifies that Cyber-PHA will establish itself as the standard cybersecurity methodology across all industries.