CRA templates to describe processes, document evidence, and use IEC 62443-4-1. For manufacturers who want to implement the Cyber Resilience Act in a structured way.
The Cyber Resilience Act requires manufacturers to have clearly defined processes, robust documentation, and verifiable evidence across the entire product lifecycle.
Many organizations are already working on product security, but not in a form that is clearly sufficient for the CRA.
The CRA templates help you close exactly that gap.
What is missing in practice - structure
Many manufacturers face the same situation:
- Security activities are ongoing, but not consistently applied across the entire product lifecycle
- Processes exist in part, but are not fixed in writing or aligned between development, quality management, and management
- Documentation exists, but not in a form that a conformity assessment body would accept
- Work on IEC 62443 is in progress, but not systematically used for CRA evidence
The result: uncertainty about whether the organization would be compliant in a real case - and costly rework under time pressure.
What the CRA actually requires
The CRA does not demand perfect products.
It demands verifiable decisions, described processes, and robust evidence.
Three principles:
- What is not documented is considered not to exist for regulatory purposes - even if you actually do it
- Evidence must be auditable - not only internally logical but suitable for external assessment
- Processes must cover the entire lifecycle - from requirements analysis to end of life
This is exactly where the CRA templates come in.
CRA templates that work in practice
The CRA template package provides a structured, practice-proven foundation to make CRA requirements traceable. The template package gives you concrete tools for CRA implementation:
1. Process descriptions for all relevant lifecycle phases
- Secure development process aligned with IEC 62443-4-1 logic
- Risk assessment and threat modeling
- Vulnerability management and incident response
- Support-end and end-of-life processes
2. Documentation templates for CRA evidence
- EU Declaration of Conformity (template + completion guide)
- Technical documentation structure (Annex V CRA)
- Vulnerability handling documentation
- SBOM integration and dependency management
3. Mapping tables: CRA requirements → evidence
- Which requirement requires which evidence?
- Which process produces which documentation?
- Where are IEC 62443 artefacts directly usable?
4. Interfaces between roles
- Responsibility matrices (RACI)
- Handover points between development, quality management, and product management
- Escalation paths for security incidents
Format: Word templates (editable), Excel mapping tables, process checklists
Why these templates are different from generic CRA checklists
Most CRA templates stay abstract: they quote requirements, explain terms, or describe ideal processes that are not implementable in real organizations.
The CRA templates are:
✓ Derived from practice - developed in audit, certification, and implementation projects
✓ Tailored to machinery and plant engineering - not for consumer electronics or cloud software
✓ Aligned with IEC 62443-4-1 - even if you do not (yet) aim for certification
✓ Understandable across stakeholders - not only for security experts but also for development managers, product managers, and quality management
✓ Customizable - not rigid templates but a structured starting point for your organization
Who the templates are for
These templates fit if you:
- Are a European manufacturer of products with digital elements (machines, plants, controllers, embedded systems)
- Are affected by the CRA and required to provide evidence
- Want to create structure without overburdening your development
- Are already doing security work but need to document it in a CRA-compliant way
- Know or use IEC 62443 - or want to align with it
Typical contacts:
- Product managers responsible for regulatory conformity
- Development managers and CTOs who need to structure processes
- Product security managers, software security managers, OT security responsible persons
- Quality and compliance functions closely connected to development
Not suitable for:
- Organizations that treat the CRA only as a formal compliance matter
- Operators or IT service providers (not manufacturers)
- Consumer electronics with short product cycles
Timeline - why now is the right time
- 11 December 2027: CRA obligations come into force
- Conformity assessment takes months - not weeks
- Processes must be lived, not just documented on paper
Those who start in summer 2027 will be under time pressure.
Those who create structure now can build up step by step without blocking development.
Clarify in 30 minutes whether the templates fit your situation
The templates are not an end in themselves.
What matters is whether and how they fit your specific context.
In a short, non-binding conversation we clarify:
✓ Which CRA requirements are relevant for your products
✓ How the templates can be effectively used or adapted
✓ Whether further support (gap analysis, process setup, audit preparation) makes sense
No sales pressure, no one-size-fits-all solution - just a factual assessment of your situation.