Renesas certifies three microcontroller families for CRA European cyber resilience

Renesas Electronics has recently achieved certification for three families of microcontrollers to the PSA Level 1 standard, ensuring compliance with the upcoming European Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). This certification is a significant milestone as the CRA is set to come into effect for equipment on the market in 2027. The PSA Certified global security framework, established by Arm and industry partners in 2019, has extended its Level 1 certification to meet the compliance requirements of the CRA.

The certified families of microcontrollers are based on the ARM Cortex-M33 and M85 architectures, all equipped with the ARM TrustZone security block. These families underwent evaluation by Applus+ Laboratories in Spain, a process that was crucial in ensuring their alignment with the cybersecurity standards mandated by the CRA. Jose Ruiz, Cybersecurity BU Director at Applus+ Laboratories, emphasized the importance of reducing fragmentation in cybersecurity certification and commended PSA Certified's efforts to align with both private schemes and governmental requirements.

Amidst these developments, Renesas has been actively enhancing the security features of its microcontrollers to meet the evolving demands of the market. The company has integrated built-in security measures for smart meter chips and has also introduced quantum security features for IoT chips. Additionally, PSA Certified has advanced to Level 4, signifying a higher level of security assurance for connected devices.

David Maidment, senior director of market strategy at ARM, highlighted the critical role of security in the deployment of edge AI devices across various industries. As new government regulations take effect, prioritizing security becomes paramount to ensure the trustworthiness of AI applications. Maidment praised initiatives like PSA Certified for driving robust device security and commended Renesas for its leadership in security, particularly in the era of AI.

The certified 32-bit RA4L1 MCU Group, based on the Cortex-M33 core, offers advanced security features, low power consumption, and communication interfaces tailored for a wide range of applications falling under the CRA requirements. On the other hand, the certified RA8E1 and RA8E2 MCU Groups, based on the Cortex-M85 architecture, cater to diverse applications such as industrial automation, home appliances, smart home systems, and medical devices. The RA8E1 MCU Group incorporates ARM Helium technology for Vision and Voice AI applications, while the RA8E2 MCU Group features a Graphics LCD for advanced Human-Machine Interface (HMI) solutions.

Furthermore, PSA Certified Level 1 has been extended to comply with the European RED radio equipment directive and the UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) regulation, both of which are relevant to connected and IoT products. This extension enables manufacturers with Level 1 certification to meet global security standards for IoT connectivity. Renesas has also achieved PSA Certified Level 3 root of trust component certification for the RA8D1, RA8M1, and RA8T1 MCU Groups, demonstrating a strong commitment to protecting the root of trust in their devices.