The Cyber Resilience Act

Ensure your Products Meet the New EU Security Requirements

The Cyber Resilience Act sets binding standards for all connected products in the European market. This creates clear obligations and new challenges for businesses. Failure to act now could lead to security vulnerabilities, significant fines and even sales bans.

We help you comply with the requirements of the Cyber Resilience Act efficiently and future-proof: from risk analysis to the implementation of vital security standards.

EU Tightens Cybersecurity Requirements

With the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) the European Union is setting new security standards for digital products. The regulation came into effect in December 2024, with a transition period. By December 2027 at the latest, connected products — from software applications to IoT devices — must comply with these mandatory requirements. The aim is to minimize cybersecurity risks and increase digital resilience across the European Union (EU).

Who Is Affected by the CRA?

The CRA applies to all companies that develop, sell or import digital products into the EU. This includes both hardware and software providers, regardless of their size. Open source software is also covered when used in commercial products.

The CRA came into force end of 2024, a transition phase is currently in effect. Companies have to comply by December 2027 at the latest.

Key CRA Requirements:

Risk Analysis: Identify and assess cybersecurity risks for each digital product.
Technical Documentation: Provide detailed documentation of all security measures and features.
Regular Security Updates: Provide updates and patches to address security vulnerabilities.
Incident Reporting: Obligation to report incidents to the relevant authorities within 24 hours.
Securing the Supply Chain: Ensuring that all suppliers meet the necessary security requirements.

If Non-Compliant:

Fines of up to €15 million or 2.5% of global annual turnover.

Banning of non-compliant products from the EU market.

Reputational damage due to security failures and non-compliance.

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Free e-book: Understanding and Implementing the Cyber Resilience Act

Find out what the CRA means for your organization – concisely explained with specific recommendations for implementation. Download now and play it safe with the CRA!

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Comparing Security Regulations

What is the difference between CRA and NIS Directive?

The CRA is a new piece of EU legislation introduced as part of the European Union’s Cybersecurity Strategy 2020. It complements the existing EU Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive, ensuring that all digital devices, regardless of industry, fall under one of the two regulations and comply with their requirements.

In general, the NIS Directive is more comprehensive and applies to critical sectors such as healthcare, finance or energy. Since 11 December 2024, all ‘non-critical’ sectors fall under the CRA, including most apps and IoT devices in the smart home space.

Implementing the CRA

What are the timelines?

The requirements of the Cyber Resilience Act are extensive and will take different amounts of time depending on the structure of an organization.

Some requirements, such as technical documentation, may already be in place in many companies and only need to be supplemented and adjusted. Other CRA mandates are much more complex, such as implementing a system to reliably distribute security updates. If a suitable solution does not already exist, the time required will increase significantly.

As a general guideline, it can take approximately 12 months for the first product to be fully CRA compliant.

When should organizations start implementing the CRA?

Although the final CRA compliance date is December 2027, the transition period is limited. Firms should start preparing now to ensure timely compliance and avoid potential penalties.

Companies that act now will benefit from greater planning certainty and can secure a competitive advantage!

Why Partner with HiQ?

We help you to implement the requirements of the Cyber Resilience Act efficiently and with long-term success. As a technology consultancy with 1,700 experts in Germany and three other European countries, we can guide you from the initial risk assessment to the final implementation of vital security standards.

Our services to ensure your products are CRA compliant include:

Performing a comprehensive risk analysis
Creating detailed technical documentation
Implementing a security update and patch management system
Reviewing and securing your supply chain
Establishing an security incident reporting system
Continuous risk management and cybersecurity monitoring
Developing a response plan for cyber security incidents

Our experts will work with you every step of the way to achieve CRA compliance. With a clear strategy, efficient processes and tailored solutions, we help your organisation meet the requirements of the European Cyber Resilience Act – successfully and sustainably.

Let’s talk about your organization’s CRA needs.