Introduction

In an increasingly digital world, the personal and professional realms are deeply interconnected with technology. This brings along heightened exposure to cybersecurity threats. In response to the growing complexity and frequency of these risks, the European Union (EU) introduced the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) in March 2024, and it was ratified by the EU Parliament and Council.

What is the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)?

The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) is a European Union regulation that applies to all products with digital elements whose intended, foreseeable use includes a direct or indirect logical or physical data connection to a device or network. This includes cloud-connected hardware, software, sensors, gateways, and control systems. The CRA seeks to strengthen cybersecurity across the EU by ensuring that digital products are secure by design and maintain their resilience throughout their entire lifecycle. It addresses risks linked to cyber threats by enforcing continuous monitoring, vulnerability management, and secure development practices.

Key CRA Milestones:

• 10th December 2024 – Enforcement begins: The CRA comes into force officially
• 11th June 2026 – Amendment phase: The obligation to continuously monitor and report vulnerabilities and incidents takes effect
• 11th December 2027 – Full implementation: The CE marking and product compliance obligations become mandatory

The CRA is a critical step toward safeguarding the EU’s digital infrastructure, consumer trust, and the integrity of connected technologies across all sectors.

The Importance of the CRA in a Changing Threat Landscape

Cybersecurity is now a broader organizational responsibility, not just a concern for the IT department. It is central to ensuring business continuity and consumer trust.

The CRA addresses existing gaps in cybersecurity practices by establishing a uniform set of mandatory security standards across the product lifecycle. The need is underscored by the following:

• 60% of cyber incidents in 2023 tied to software supply chains or connected devices
• By 2025, $10.5 trillion is projected global cybercrime cost
• Only 10% of digital products currently meet secure-by-design standards
• 200% rise in IoT attacks between 2018 and 2022

Prominent breaches like Log4j (2021) and SolarWinds (2020) highlight the need for a systemic reform.

Objectives of the CRA

The CRA is designed to provide the following:

• Enhanced Protection: By integrating security into product design to keep consumers and businesses safe
• Mitigated Vulnerabilities: By detecting and addressing the weaknesses before they can be exploited by attackers
• Accountability and Trust: Encouraging transparency and accountability through thorough documentation.
• Guaranteed Consistency: Orienting cybersecurity measures in the member states of the EU for uniformity and effectiveness

CRA Compliance: A progressive approach

Determine the products that fall under the scope of the CRA. Products are classified into the Default, Important (Class I or II), or Critical categories, depending on their risk levels. Each category requires a specific type of conformity assessment, such as self-assessment, third-party certification (e.g., EUCC), or compliance with the harmonized EU standards.

1. Integrate Security Early in Product Development

Security must be an integral part right from the product development stage. This includes anticipating and controlling any potential hazards in advance, establishing good default protections, and incorporating privacy and data security throughout design.

2. Ensure Thorough Product Documentation

Organizations must develop and maintain comprehensive documentation for every product. This includes system architecture outlines, functional diagrams, vulnerability assessments, test results for security, and a full Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) to improve transparency and help during regulator audits.

3. Secure Firmware and Update Mechanisms

All the firmware and update pathways must be protected to maintain integrity and unauthorized modification should be prevented. This includes encrypted firmware, secure boot processes, and OTAs (Over-the-Air), supporting rollback in case of a failure.

4. Develop Incident Response Procedures

Organizations are required to notify national CSIRTs and ENISA about exploited weaknesses within a period of 24 hours. A progress report must be submitted within two weeks. Businesses are also required to have constant interaction with financial authorities to sort out serious concerns.

5. Enforcement of Strict Access Controls

There should be strict access control to products and systems through Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and through the application of encryption protocols such as TLS to encrypt all data transmissions and API calls.

6. Continuous Monitoring and Testing

Constant monitoring, regular penetration testing, threat modelling, and utilization of AI-powered anomaly detection are some of the parameters that ensure the implementation of a proactive cybersecurity strategy within an organization. Such measures make the product secure against potential future attacks throughout its lifespan.

Utilizing CRA to Enhance Cybersecurity

The CRA is well beyond a compliance guide; it is a detailed roadmap to enhancing digital product security. Companies can leverage it to improve their cybersecurity in the following ways:

• Assess Relevance and Impact: Determine products that need to be classified under the CRA and evaluate them.
• Conduct Thorough Risk Assessments: Execute extensive threat modelling and security audits to recognize vulnerabilities early in development.
• Embed Security Throughout the Lifecycle: Security must be integrated right from the development phase to deployment and decommissioning. Implement a Secure Development Lifecycle (SDL).
• Enable Effective Vulnerability Reporting: Design and develop a framework to receive security concerns from internal and external stakeholders to be resolved with efficiency and speed.
• Maintain Clear and Accessible Records: Maintain technical records such as SBOMs and risk logs to ensure transparency and audit compliance.
• Invest in Cybersecurity Training: Train the engineering, IT, and product teams with the necessary skills to comprehend and fulfil CRA requirements through routine, specialised education programs.

CRA Compliance Overview

Undoubtedly, the CRA applies to a wide array of verticals such as consumer, healthcare & lifestyle, industrial, smart home/building, finance, and automotive/transportation. This widespread applicability indicates the importance of the enforcement of this regulation to achieve minimum security requirements in various digitally interconnected verticals.

All the products within the scope of CRA should comply by December 2027. This compliance also includes the CE marking and compliance with developing harmonized standards like EN 303 645 and IEC 62443-4-1/2. A risk-based analysis has been performed, taking into consideration the criticality of the product and its potential weaknesses. Secure-by-design, constant monitoring of vulnerabilities, timely patching, and incident response plans have been put in place accordingly.

Considering the overlap between CRA and other initiatives such as NIS2, RED, and the AI Act, a harmonized and interconnected compliance approach is necessary to avoid redundancy and secure full regulation. Non-compliance will be punished with fines (of a maximum of €15 million or 2.5% of worldwide revenue), enforcing the necessity of ensuring robust cybersecurity across the various product lifecycles.

eInfochips: Your Partner for CRA Readiness

With over two decades of experience in connected product design and cybersecurity, eInfochips supports organizations in aligning with the global regulatory frameworks, including the CRA.

Our Services Include:

• CRA Readiness Assessments: Gap analysis, threat modelling, and compliance roadmaps
• Secure Product Development: Secure boot, firmware encryption, hardware root of trust
• Documentation and Certification Support: Technical files, CE markings, SBOM management
• 24/7 Security Monitoring: Vulnerability detection, penetration testing, and threat response

Conclusion

The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) marks a transformative step in the EU’s approach to digital product security—requiring manufacturers, developers, and suppliers to embed cybersecurity throughout the product lifecycle. It not only sets the bar higher for compliance but also encourages a proactive, secure-by-design mindset across the digital ecosystem.

eInfochips is a trusted partner in cybersecurity and compliance. From risk assessments and secure product development to documentation and real-time threat monitoring, our experts bring deep technical expertise and have a proven track record of guiding organizations through evolving regulatory landscapes like the CRA.

With over two decades of experience in connected product design, cybersecurity frameworks, and industry certifications, eInfochips offers a structured, end-to-end approach to CRA readiness. By combining domain expertise with global regulatory insights, we help organizations meet CRA requirements efficiently enabling them to build trust, reduce risk, and access markets across the European Union and beyond.