The NEA Working Group on Digital Instrumentation and Controls (WGDIC) has agreed that a consensus position on the impact of cyber security features on digital instrumentation and control (I&C) systems important to safety is warranted given the increased use of I&C in new reactor designs and upgrades on operating plants, the safety implications of this use, and the need to develop a common understanding from the perspective of regulatory authorities. This action follows the WGDIC’s examination of the regulatory requirements of its participating members and of relevant industry standards and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) publications. The WGDIC proposes a consensus position based on its recent experience with new reactor applications and operating plant experiences.
This consensus position provides evaluation guidance for ensuring that safety functions and cyber security features for digital I&C systems important to safety at nuclear power plants are designed and implemented so that they do not adversely affect one another. The guidance herein is not to be interpreted as a requirement or regulation; instead, it is intended to serve as a source of information to be used to develop clear and sufficient regulatory guidance to assess safety features and cyber security features for digital I&C systems important to safety.