EU to toughen cybersecurity requirements for wireless devices

The European Commission has adopted an amendment to the radio equipment directive on Friday to strengthen cybersecurity requirements for wireless mobile devices.

“Today, the Commission has taken action to improve the cybersecurity of wireless devices available on the European market. As mobile phones, smart watches, fitness trackers and wireless toys are more and more present in our everyday life, cyber threats pose a growing risk for every consumer,” the Commission said in a statement.

The amendment aims to “make sure that all wireless devices are safe before being sold on the EU market” by introducing new legal requirements for cybersecurity safeguards for manufacturers that they will have to take into account at the design and production stages.

The Commission noted that the new requirements will help increase the protection of citizens’ privacy and personal data, lower risks of financial fraud and ensure better resilience of communication networks. To this end, manufacturers will now need to take steps to prevent disruptions of Internet services, restrict unauthorized access to personal data on wireless devices and introduce stronger user authentication to minimize risks of fraudulent electronic payments.

The new rules will come into force if the Council or the European Parliament do not raise any objections within two months since the date of their publication. After that, manufacturers will have 30 months to bring their products in line with the new requirements, until 2024.

The European Commission will assist manufacturers in this matter.