Crypto Quantique Simplifies CRA Compliance for Embedded Security

As the European Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) begins to reshape the security landscape for digital products sold in the EU, embedded device developers are under increasing pressure to comply with complex cybersecurity mandates. 

Crypto Quantique has stepped up with a solution: the QuarkLink Hybrid PQC security platform.

Shahram Mossayebi, Ph.D, founder and CEO of Crypto Quantique, with All About Circuits' Jeff Child at Embedded World.

Revealed at Embedded World 2025, QuarkLink is designed to simplify CRA compliance by dramatically reducing the time, cost, and risk involved in securing embedded systems. The platform also provides long-term protection against emerging cyber threats, including those posed by quantum computing.

The EU Cyber Resilience Act

Passed in 2024 and set to be fully enforced by December 2027, the CRA imposes sweeping cybersecurity requirements on hardware and software products with digital elements. These include secure firmware update capabilities, vulnerability management, incident reporting, and proven cryptographic techniques. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to €15 million or 2.5% of annual global turnover.

One of the most pressing challenges for developers is implementing these requirements within tight timeframes using fragmented tools and legacy workflows. Crypto Quantique CEO Shahram Mossayebi explained in an interview with AAC’s Jeff Child at Embedded World how his company intends to help.

“We provide an abstract layer on the embedded side, connecting your application to the security features of your hardware and your cloud infrastructure,” he said. “We sandwich your application from a security point of view.”

Inside the Unified QuarkLink Platform

QuarkLink is a cloud-based software platform that provides a full-stack approach to embedded device security—from manufacturing to decommissioning. It manages device identities, supports secure boot, provides firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) updates, and handles cryptographic operations, including Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and certificate management. The platform's most recent upgrade integrates hybrid post-quantum cryptography (PQC), offering both current and future-proof protection through a combination of X25519 and Kyber768Draft00 algorithms.

The QuarkLink cybersecurity platform. Image used courtesy of Crypto Quantique

Importantly, QuarkLink is not hardware-agnostic but instead supports a range of SDKs tailored to specific microprocessor and microcontroller platforms, including partnerships with Renesas, STMicroelectronics, and Intel.

“We do the hard work once,” said Mossayebi. “Then the SDK is verified, tested, penetration-tested so developers can just trust the hardware and focus on application code.”

This plug-and-play functionality condenses what is typically months of work.

“Getting secure boot and key management running yourself can take six months,” Mossayebi noted. “We bring that down to days.”

Simplifying CRA Compliance

QuarkLink directly addresses CRA requirements in several ways. Its secure FOTA capability ensures compliance with CRA’s September 2026 deadline for remote update readiness. It also enables vulnerability monitoring and automated certificate management, simplifying lifecycle compliance. Pre-configured security features and automation of cryptographic operations reduce the need for deep security expertise among embedded engineers.

Beyond technical compliance, QuarkLink helps manage cybersecurity at the organizational level. It supports centralized device management, zero-trust architecture, and automated lifecycle governance—all essential to maintaining a strong security posture over time.

“You have a dashboard as a product manager,” Mossayebi said. “You can take control—see what happens on what device, who accessed what, and orchestrate it all securely.”

Additionally, QuarkLink bridges the traditional gap between embedded developers and IT security teams.

“Embedded engineers aren’t usually trained in IT security,” Mossayebi pointed out. “We make it easy to plug into your CI/CD toolchain with APIs and CLIs, and avoid mistakes like developers pushing keys to GitHub—something that’s happened, with devastating results.”

As the CRA implementation deadlines approach, solutions like Crypto Quantique’s QuarkLink Hybrid PQC platform offer a lifeline to embedded device manufacturers. By consolidating complex security infrastructure into a single platform, automating best practices, and integrating post-quantum cryptography, QuarkLink makes compliance not just possible, but efficient and future-proof.