The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards mandate how Bulk Electric System (BES) operators secure and monitor access to critical systems. Xona’s secure access platform is purpose-built to help utilities and grid operators meet these compliance requirements, specifically for remote access, user session control, and audit logging.
What is NERC CIP Compliance?
NERC CIP compliance refers to adherence to federally enforceable cybersecurity standards governing access to BES Cyber Systems. Key requirements include access control, change management, session monitoring, and cyber hygiene enforcement for remote access.
Applicable standards include:
- CIP-003: Vendor Electronic Remote Access Security Controls
- CIP-005: Controls for Interactive Remote Access and Electronic Security Perimeter enforcement
- CIP-007: System security management and user activity logging
- CIP-011: Secure handling of Cyber System Information
- CIP-013: Supply chain risk management
How Xona Supports NERC CIP Compliance
The Xona Platform provides secure, protocol-isolated access to OT assets without exposing credentials or relying on vulnerable technologies like VPNs or jump servers. It enforces strict access policies aligned with zero trust principles and provides built-in audit logging to streamline compliance and reduce risk.
NERC CIP Requirements Mapped to Xona Capabilities
| NERC CIP Standard | How Xona Supports It |
|---|---|
| CIP-003-09 – Vendor Electronic Remote Access Security Controls | Zero-trust, least privileged access, session monitoring and recording, and protocol isolation |
| CIP-005-5 – Electronic Security Perimeter | Secure gateway with MFA, session recording, and protocol isolation (RDP, SSH, VNC) |
| CIP-007-6 – System Security Management | Session logging, login/logout tracking, event log retention, port and service control |
| CIP-011-2 – Information Protection | No data leaves the OT environment, only encrypted screen pixels are transmitted |
| CIP-013-1 – Supply Chain Risk Management | Validated patch management, 3rd-party monitoring, software integrity checks |
Why NERC CIP Compliance Matters?
Compliance with NERC CIP isn’t optional. Failure to meet these standards can result in regulatory penalties, operational disruptions, and security vulnerabilities. Xona reduces compliance complexity and strengthens your ability to:
- Control and log remote access to BES Cyber Systems
- Enforce least-privilege access with time- and role-based policies
- Eliminate shared credentials via credential injection
- Automatically record all sessions with searchable logs
- Simplify audit preparation and reduce GRC overhead
Download the NERC CIP Compliance Datasheet
Get the full technical breakdown of how Xona maps to NERC CIP compliance requirements.