The CRA and Its Impact on Industrial Manufacturers in Spain

The CRA (Cybersecurity Resilience Act) is an EU legislative initiative designed to ensure that products with digital elements remain secure throughout their lifecycle. The primary objective is to reduce exposure to cyber threats by establishing clear requirements for manufacturers, distributors, and operators of these products.

According to the CRA, all digital devices must comply with a series of principles to ensure their security, including:

Cybersecurity by Design and by Default: Integrating security measures from the design phase and ensuring secure default configurations.

Essential Cybersecurity and Vulnerability Requirements Management:  Managing cybersecurity requirements and conducting vulnerability analysis throughout the entire product lifecycle.

Failure to meet these obligations may result in significant fines, emphasizing the importance of compliance from the early stages of product development.

To meet these general principles, the CRA refers to compliance with specific standards applicable to each domain. The cybersecurity standard applicable in the industrial sector is IEC 62443, which will be discussed later. Additionally, the CRA categorizes products based on their exposure and cybersecurity risk, determining how compliance guarantees should be provided.

Non-critical devices: These can comply with the regulation through self-assessment, resulting in a declaration of conformity.

Critical devices: These can be classified as Class I (low risk) or Class II (high risk). Class I devices can be evaluated by the manufacturer and issue the corresponding declaration of conformity. Class II devices require the intervention of an independent certification body.

IEC 62443: Implications

In the industrial sector, the IEC 62443 standard will serve as the reference framework to comply with the CRA. This comprehensive standard provides a detailed framework for cybersecurity management in industrial systems. Organizations must develop a cybersecurity culture, demonstrating that security is integrated throughout the product lifecycle. Vulnerability analysis should be continuous to respond to present and future threats.

Impact on the Industry

The CRA is expected to drive organizational transformation, requiring companies to restructure their development and management processes to adopt a cybersecurity culture. Compliance, whether through self-assessment or certification, does not diminish the need to adhere to fundamental cybersecurity principles.

Manufacturers’ market positions will be evaluated based on their CRA compliance declarations, shaping their reputation and perceived quality. Non-compliance will result in penalties, reinforcing the need for thorough documentation and regulatory adherence.

Conclusion

The Cyber Resilience Act and IEC 62443 represent a fundamental shift in how industrial companies approach cybersecurity. While their implementation presents significant challenges, they also offer an opportunity to differentiate in the market through secure innovation and regulatory compliance.

In today’s world, where cybersecurity is no longer optional but a necessity, compliance from the design phase not only protects businesses but also positions them as leaders in an increasingly competitive market.

SAFETWICE’s Approach

First, Compliance Analysis: Evaluation of the design and configuration of devices to ensure compliance with cybersecurity by design and by default principles, and adaptation of the development environment to meet regulatory requirements.

Depending on the device class, we provide Self-assessment Consulting, guiding the documentation and process preparation for non-critical devices, or Certification Preparation, assisting in compliance with the requirements for independent certifications when necessary.

Lastly, Technological Surveillance is crucial to the cybersecurity lifecycle. It is essential to have or hire a service that monitors market trends and developments in the industrial sector.

The global development and validation process will be essential to integrate these new activities; at SAFETWICE, we specialize in this integration. Contact us for further information.