ArmorInnovate · Certification Path

Four specialists. One Cybersecurity Expert.

Aligned with the ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Specialist program. Each specialist track combines theory referenced to specific IEC parts, a written exam at 75% pass, and a hands-on lab. Complete all four to qualify for the Cybersecurity Expert capstone — a 40-hour multi-stage practical assessment.

Specialist tracks
4
Capstone hours
40h
Total programme
205h
Validity
3 yrs

Programme Schematic

The track at a glance

  1. Stage 01

    AI-CSP-FND

    Fundamentals

    IEC 62443-1-1 · IEC 62443-2-1

  2. Stage 02

    AI-CSP-RA

    Risk Assessment

    IEC 62443-3-2

  3. Stage 03

    AI-CSP-DSN

    Design

    IEC 62443-3-3 · IEC 62443-4-2

  4. Stage 04

    AI-CSP-MNT

    Maintenance

    IEC 62443-2-3 · IEC 62443-2-4

All four → capstone

Capstone · AI-CSE-EXP

IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Expert

Multi-stage practical assessment: red-team a simulated chemical plant, write the report, defend it in oral. Holders demonstrate end-to-end mastery — risk, design, and maintenance — at SL3 / SL4.

Capstone Detail

Specialist Tracks

The four specialist certifications

Stage 01

AI-CSP-FND

IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Fundamentals Specialist

Foundational concepts: ICS vs IT mindset, the Purdue model, threat actors (Stuxnet, Industroyer, TRITON), and the IEC 62443 series structure. Prerequisite for every other track.

Theory hours

30h

Lab hours

6h

Pass score

75%

Validity

3 yrs

IEC parts

  • IEC 62443-1-1
  • IEC 62443-2-1

ISA SLs covered

  • SL1
  • SL2

Prerequisites

  • None

ISA equivalent: ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Fundamentals Specialist

Enrol in track

Stage 02

AI-CSP-RA

IEC 62443 Risk Assessment Specialist

Asset inventories, zone & conduit modelling, threat modelling for OT, and risk treatment per IEC 62443-3-2. Includes a hands-on assessment of a simulated water-treatment plant.

Theory hours

35h

Lab hours

8h

Pass score

75%

Validity

3 yrs

IEC parts

  • IEC 62443-3-2

ISA SLs covered

  • SL1
  • SL2
  • SL3

Prerequisites

  • AI-CSP-FND

ISA equivalent: ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Risk Assessment Specialist

Enrol in track

Stage 03

AI-CSP-DSN

IEC 62443 Design Specialist

Translate risk into hardened architecture: foundational requirements (FR 1-7), system requirements (SR), component requirements (CR). Capstone: design a Security Level 3 control system zone.

Theory hours

40h

Lab hours

10h

Pass score

75%

Validity

3 yrs

IEC parts

  • IEC 62443-3-3
  • IEC 62443-4-2

ISA SLs covered

  • SL2
  • SL3
  • SL4

Prerequisites

  • AI-CSP-FND

ISA equivalent: ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Design Specialist

Enrol in track

Stage 04

AI-CSP-MNT

IEC 62443 Maintenance Specialist

Operate the secure system over its lifecycle: patch management, security service provider requirements, incident response on ICS networks. Includes a tabletop exercise on a TRITON-style intrusion.

Theory hours

30h

Lab hours

6h

Pass score

75%

Validity

3 yrs

IEC parts

  • IEC 62443-2-3
  • IEC 62443-2-4

ISA SLs covered

  • SL1
  • SL2
  • SL3

Prerequisites

  • AI-CSP-FND

ISA equivalent: ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Maintenance Specialist

Enrol in track

Capstone · AI-CSE-EXP

IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Expert

Multi-stage practical assessment: red-team a simulated chemical plant, write the report, defend it in oral. Holders demonstrate end-to-end mastery — risk, design, and maintenance — at SL3 / SL4.

  1. Stage 01

    Practical pentest

    Multi-stage, time-boxed assessment against a simulated chemical plant. Evidence captured to pcap and screen recording.

  2. Stage 02

    Written report

    Long-form 62443-3-2 risk + 3-3 control gap report. Submitted in markdown to the examiner board.

  3. Stage 03

    Oral defence

    45-minute panel with two examiners. Report walkthrough, design questions, scenario response.

Capstone briefingPractice in the lab

Frequently asked

Are these certificates recognised?
They are aligned with the ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Specialist program. Holders typically use them alongside ISA-issued credentials; we publish the mapping next to every track.
How long does the full programme take?
Roughly 205 hours of focused work across the four specialists plus the capstone. Most learners complete one specialist per quarter and finish the capstone in the second year.
Do I need to take Foundations first?
Yes. Foundations is a prerequisite for every other specialist track. The capstone additionally requires holding all four specialist certificates.
How do I recertify?
Every certificate is valid for three years. Recertification is a half-day refresher exam plus one new lab — no need to repeat the full programme.
Can I do the labs without a paid plan?
The Foundations track lab is free with a sign-up. The other lab environments require a Pro subscription so we can shoulder the simulator compute cost.
Where does the content come from?
Every lesson is referenced to a specific IEC 62443 part or NIST SP 800-82 chapter. Citations are visible in the lesson body — never hidden behind a footnote.