The Digital Governance Standards Institute (DGSI) has reaffirmed CAN/DGSI 105, Cybersecurity of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Devices, maintaining its designation as a National Standard of Canada. Originally published in 2022, this reaffirmation underscores the ongoing need for robust, credible cybersecurity guidance to protect IIoT systems embedded in Canada’s infrastructure and industry.
Developed in collaboration with industry experts, regulators, and cybersecurity professionals, the Standard outlines minimum cybersecurity controls for the design, deployment, and lifecycle management of IIoT devices. As these technologies continue to evolve and integrate into energy, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure, the Standard offers organizations a clear path toward stronger security and risk management.
“As IIoT devices become more embedded in the operations of energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure systems, the risks to cybersecurity and supply chains have only intensified,” said Darryl Kingston, Executive Director of the Digital Governance Standards Institute. “This reaffirmation signals our shared commitment to keep this foundational Standard active, relevant, and widely adopted in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.”
Key elements of the standard include:
This National Standard outlines essential cybersecurity controls to help organizations:
- Acquire and assess IIoT devices securely: Provides clear, standardized criteria for evaluating cybersecurity during procurement.
- Manage devices across their full lifecycle: Covers secure deployment, monitoring, updates, and responsible decommissioning.
- Strengthen technical safeguards, including:
- Firmware and software authenticity
- Hardware-based identity and protection
- Cryptographic communication and access control
- Logging, audit trails, and threat detection
- Vulnerability management and secure updates
- Promote vendor transparency and trust: Encourages self-declaration, third-party certifications (e.g., IEC 62443), and supply chain risk management.
- Support risk-informed decision-making: Enables organizations to align device selection with operational and cybersecurity needs.
The Standard is technology agnostic and can be used across sectors to ensure that IIoT systems meet core cybersecurity objectives such as confidentiality, integrity, availability, safety, and resilience.
For more information or to access the standard, visit the CAN/DGSI 105
Get involved
The DGSI’s development process is collaborative and open to all, and anyone interested in contributing to the development of digital governance standards is encouraged to get involved. For more information on how to participate, contact:
Darryl Kingston
Executive Director
Digital Governance Standards Institute
darryl.kingston@dgc-cgn.org
For further details or media inquiries, please contact:
Shyra Wells
Communications and Knowledge Mobilization Lead
Digital Governance Council
shyra.craig@dgc-cgn.org
About the Digital Governance Standards Institute
The Digital Governance Standards Institute develops digital technology governance standards fit for global use. The Institute works with experts, as well as national and global partners and the public to develop national standards that reduce risk to Canadians and Canadian organizations adopting and using innovative digital technologies in today’s digital economy. The Institute is an independent division of the Digital Governance Council. To learn more about the organization and its initiatives, visit www.dgc-cgn.org or contact info@dgc-cgn.org.