If your device relies on industrial connectivity, the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) requires it to be secure, updatable, and maintained throughout its lifecycle. With HMS expertise and Anybus products, you have a clear path to compliance.
The EU Cyber Resilience Act will force you to think differently about connectivity. It’s no longer just about making a device talk to a network - it now includes long-term responsibilities for security, updates, documentation, and lifecycle obligations for all digital products sold in the EU, no matter where they’re manufactured.
Struggling to make your communication solution CRA-compliant? Need guidance on a specific project or unsure how to meet all CRA requirements? Schedule a personal consultation with one of our experts today - we’ll help you tackle CRA compliance with confidence!
For many companies, the easiest way to meet CRA requirements is to replace existing or non-compliant connectivity solutions. With an Anybus Communicator, upgrading from proprietary, in-house, or outdated gateway designs is fast and straightforward.
When connectivity needs to be embedded directly into a device, the easiest way to prepare for CRA requirements is to use a proven communication interface instead of developing connectivity in-house. Anybus CompactCom provides secure, network-ready connectivity without the burden of managing protocol stacks, security updates, or network certifications yourself.
This blog post explains why the Cyber Resilience Act ultimately benefits industrial device makers and machine builders. Rather than focusing on what the CRA is, it answers a broader question: why is the CRA being introduced at all, and why is it necessary despite the disruption it creates?
This blog post moves from why to how. It explains why legacy connectivity is difficult to make CRA-compliant, and how achieving CRA compliance becomes much easier for manufacturers if they replace older connectivity with a modern, CRA ready connectivity solution.
The Cyber Resilience Act is an EU regulation introducing cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements.
It requires manufacturers to ensure that products are secure by design and that vulnerabilities are monitored and addressed throughout the product lifecycle.
For device makers and machine builders, this include connectivity components such as gateways, protocol converters, or communication modules used in machines.
Connectivity devices enable communication between devices or machines and industrial networks.
Because they process and transmit data, they will be classified as products with digital elements under CRA.
This means they require:
For device manufacturers with in-house gateways or communication modules, this can introduce new long-term responsibilities.
The CRA has already entered into force, so manufacturers should start preparing now.
Two key deadlines apply:
September 2026: Vulnerability reporting and notification obligations begin.
December 2027: Full CRA conformity is required for products with digital elements placed on the EU market.
Manufacturers need to establish security requirements, vulnerability management processes, and documentation ahead of these deadlines. Redesigning connectivity solutions and putting the necessary security processes in place can take significant time, so compliance cannot be achieved overnight.
Many manufacturers are therefore already evaluating whether their current connectivity strategy will meet the upcoming CRA requirements.
Industrial gateways such as the Anybus Communicator are designed specifically for industrial connectivity and security requirements.
They can help by:
This allows device makers and machine builders to modernize connectivity without a long redesign project.
When connectivity needs to be built directly into a device, integrating a ready-made communication interface is a practical way to reduce the CRA-related workload around connectivity. Anybus CompactCom is developed, tested, documented, and maintained by HMS, enabling device makers to build secure, network-ready connectivity into their products without managing protocol stacks, security updates, or vulnerability monitoring internally. It can help by:
This allows device makers to reduce the scope, effort, and long-term risk associated with connectivity under CRA - while retaining full ownership of the complete device and its compliance.
