“The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) marks a turning point: connected products must be secure by design”
Cyber Resilience Act and connected products: how industrial cybersecurity is changing
The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) marks a turning point: connected products must be secure by design. Beyond compliance, cybersecurity has become a key factor for competitiveness and resilience in increasingly interconnected industrial and digital environments.
Cybersecurity, a new requirement for connected products
Connected products are no longer just physical assets. Today, they are complex digital systems that integrate software, sensors and even artificial intelligence to operate and interact in real time. This development has a clear consequence: cybersecurity is no longer optional and becomes a structural requirement.
In this context, the Cyber Resilience Act establishes a new condition for the European market: products with digital elements will have to meet cybersecurity requirements before being placed on the EU market.
Change that starts with design
The CRA introduces a profound transformation in the way connected products are developed. Security is no longer a final add-on but an integrated element from its conception. This involves:
- Designing secure products from the origin.
- Continuously manage vulnerabilities.
- Ensuring software transparency through SBOM.
- Maintaining responsibility for the product throughout its life cycle.
More than an obligation – an opportunity
While the CRA may be perceived as an additional requirement, it also opens up a clear opportunity: cyber resilience becomes a competitive differentiating factor.
In an environment where a cybersecurity incident can disrupt operations or affect customer confidence, demonstrating that a product is secure provides tangible value and strengthens market positioning.
Prioritising to take action
One of the big challenges for organisations is deciding where to start. In complex environments, tools such as the Cyber Risk Mitigation Planner, which TECNALIA has, make it possible to analyse vulnerabilities and prioritise actions for their mitigation, thus facilitating decision-making in the field of cybersecurity.
Towards a more resilient digital ecosystem
The CRA is bringing about necessary transformation: connected products of the future will not only have to be efficient and functional, but also safe by design.
In this new scenario, cybersecurity is no longer a requirement but the basis for competitiveness and industrial and digital resilience.