A manufacturer of industrial printing machinery has raised a technical question regarding CRA (Cyber Resilience Act) compliance and the Modbus interface for a TREG temperature control unit (TCU) equipped with an Ascon controller.
The issue of cybersecurity for components used in temperature control systems—specifically those with digital capabilities—is increasingly being incorporated into the specifications for the temperature control units that Tempco supplies to machine manufacturers. This is a recurring technical inquiry addressing requirements that have become critical, as underscored by recent, serious incidents involving refrigeration units targeted by a network of hackers across several European countries, and as well by the cyber attacks on blood banks in France.
These events have brought the issue to the forefront with great urgency, while simultaneously highlighting the crucial importance of operational technology (OT) used for temperature control—technology that is essential not only during the production phase but also for preserving products once they reach the market.
The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA, EU Regulation 2024/2847) is part of a broader EU regulatory package on cybersecurity. Specifically, the CRA requires manufacturers of hardware and software to ensure the cybersecurity of their products at the time they are placed on the market. This must be achieved by adopting appropriate cybersecurity measures, implemented from the design phase onwards, in line with the ‘security-by-design‘ principle. The Regulation extends these obligations to cover the entire product lifecycle; manufacturers are therefore required to provide ongoing support for vulnerability management and ensure the release of security updates throughout the product’s lifespan.
Temperature control units (TCUs) equipped with connectivity features could thus fall within the scope of the Cyber Resilience Act. The CRA specifically applies to hardware with integrated software (IoT) capable of exchanging digital information via a direct data connection—for purposes such as management, predictive maintenance, monitoring, and analytics. In this context, there is an evolution within the requirements for devices such as digital controllers, Modbus communication systems, and the integration of TCU into customer’s machinery. This aligns with Industry 4.0 and ‘smart factory’ standards, while ensuring compliance with the cybersecurity measures required by current regulations.