The European Union's Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) is a landmark regulation designed to strengthen the security of connected devices throughout the EU market. By establishing rigorous security standards for IoT manufacturers, the EU CRA seeks to prevent cyber threats from infiltrating and compromising critical digital infrastructures and sets a clear expectation: security should not be an optional feature but a built-in, essential component of every IoT device.
As one of the most far-reaching and strict cybersecurity regulations in the world, the EU CRA is expected to influence other global markets, with other countries likely to adopt similar regimes and private companies likely to require their suppliers to meet the CRA standards to ensure the security of their connected devices (and ensure compliance with the CRA).
This post is part of a 6-part mini-series that will guide IoT manufacturers through the EU Cyber Resilience Act’s requirements in detail, starting with the concept at the core of the EU CRA — secure by design and by default.
IoT devices represent a unique cybersecurity challenge. Their constant connectivity; integration into sensitive environments like smart homes, healthcare systems, and industrial control networks; and the vast amounts of personal and operational data they process make them prime targets for cyberattacks. Despite this, they remain inherently vulnerable, with devices often lacking robust security features - exposing them to a wide range of cyber threats, from data breaches to distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
The EU CRA imposes security by design as a requirement because malicious actors frequently target IoT devices as an entry point to launch large-scale attacks. These attacks can cause widespread disruption to entire networks or critical infrastructure systems, such as energy grids and transportation networks, putting both personal data and public safety at risk. It is the starting point for compliance with the CRA.
Under the CRA, manufacturers must integrate security practices during the design phase. This means incorporating the following features from day one:
These features are critical to reducing the attack surface and preventing common initial access techniques.
Ensuring the supply chain security of all components also becomes crucial, as the CRA emphasizes the need to secure the entire production lifecycle, including third-party software and hardware providers. Therefore, manufacturers must implement secure-by-design principles down through their supply chain for hardware, software, and third-party components. This includes having identified security requirements, performing threat modeling during the design stage to anticipate potential attack paths, and incorporating security features that mitigate those risks.
One of the CRA’s key provisions is that devices must ship with advanced security settings enabled by default. This approach aligns with the CRA’s user-first security philosophy, recognizing that users cannot always be expected, or even realize the need, to configure sophisticated security mechanisms themselves.
As a result, features like default password protections, automatic firmware updates, and encrypted communication channels must be built into every device. That said, manufacturers must strike a careful balance between usability and security to prevent usability challenges for consumers, such as complex initial setups or limited functionality out of the box. Clear documentation and intuitive set-up guides should prevent customers from turning off critical protections in favor of convenience.
The CRA mandates ongoing continuous security management throughout the product's lifecycle and makes manufacturers responsible for ensuring that devices remain protected from emerging threats.
To meet these requirements, manufacturers must deliver regular security updates, vulnerability patches, and critical firmware upgrades and develop an ongoing vulnerability monitoring and incident response strategy to swiftly address potential breaches or exploits in real-time. This includes, where possible, establishing systems for over-the-air (OTA) updates, ensuring that security patches are pushed to devices seamlessly without requiring user intervention.
Additionally, manufacturers are expected to implement end-of-life security policies, specifying how long devices will receive updates and how to manage risks for devices beyond their supported lifecycle. This is particularly important as legacy devices could become vulnerable if they are no longer supported but remain in use.
As outlined above, to fully comply with the CRA’s stringent security by design requirements, IoT manufacturers must implement a comprehensive, multi-phase approach that embeds security at every stage of product development and management. Here are four strategies to implement that will help you achieve compliance.
Compliance with the CRA introduces several challenges for IoT manufacturers. However, with the right strategies, these challenges can be managed effectively:
The EU Cyber Resilience Act marks a significant shift in how IoT devices must be designed, manufactured, and managed. By embedding security from the outset and maintaining it throughout the lifecycle, manufacturers not only comply with regulatory mandates but also enhance the resilience of their devices in an increasingly hostile cyber environment.
Finite State is uniquely positioned to help IoT manufacturers meet these challenges head-on. Our comprehensive security solutions, from automated assessments to continuous monitoring and detailed compliance reporting, empower manufacturers to build secure, resilient devices that comply with the EU CRA.
Ready to streamline your compliance journey and fortify your IoT devices? Book a demo today to see how Finite State can help you meet EU CRA requirements and stay ahead of emerging threats.