EU Cyber Resilience Act Compliance Guide for Exporters

Practical strategies for Asia/Africa software teams to meet CRA mandates with vulnerability scanning, including DAST, SAST, and tool options.

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Why the CRA Matters for Exporters

The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), effective December 2027 with prep starting now, mandates cybersecurity for all digital products sold in the EU (e.g., apps, SaaS, IoT). Non-compliance risks fines up to €15M or 2.5% of global turnover. For small teams in non-tier-1 regions like India or Nigeria, this means integrating affordable vulnerability management into your SDLC to avoid penalties and win EU clients.

Key CRA Requirements

Here’s how the CRA impacts you, with actionable steps:

• Vulnerability Handling (Annex I, Part II): Identify and patch vulnerabilities across the product lifecycle. Action: Schedule regular scans to catch issues like XSS or SQLi early; document fixes for audits.
• Risk Assessment (Annex I, Part I): Ensure secure design with testing. Action: Use automated tools to simulate attacks, validating security before release.
• Reporting (Article 11): Report exploited vulns to ENISA within 24-72 hours. Action: Set up alerts and logs for quick compliance.
• Documentation (Annex VII): Provide audit-ready reports. Action: Export scan results as PDFs for regulators or buyers.

Types of Vulnerability Scanning

Choosing the right scanning approach is critical for CRA compliance. Here’s a breakdown:

Type	Description	Best For	Challenges
DAST (Dynamic Testing)	Simulates attacks on running apps, catching runtime vulns like XSS or injection.	Web apps, APIs; CRA runtime testing.	Requires live app; may miss code-level issues.
SAST (Static Testing)	Analyzes source code for bugs without running the app.	Early dev; finding logic errors.	Needs code access; high false positives.
Manual Pentesting	Expert-driven testing for complex exploits.	High-risk apps; critical products.	Costly ($5k+/test); slow for small teams.

Tip: DAST tools are ideal for exporters due to low cost and automation, covering CRA’s testing needs for non-critical products.

Tool Options for CRA Scanning

Many high-cost solutions like Invicti, Rapid7, and others exist, but affordable DAST tools can meet CRA needs for smaller teams. Here’s a comparison:

Tool	Cost	Key Features	Suitable For
HostedScan (via OWASP ZAP)	Free tier; ~$29/mo premium	Automated DAST, scheduled scans, CRA-ready reports.	Budget-conscious teams; exporters needing quick setup.
Invicti	$1k+/mo	Advanced DAST, proof-based scanning, enterprise integrations.	Large firms with complex needs.
Rapid7 InsightVM	$1k+/mo	DAST and network scanning, real-time analytics, risk scoring.	Enterprises with hybrid environments.
Burp Suite Enterprise	$5k+/year	Advanced DAST, manual testing tools, CI/CD integration.	Security pros needing deep customization.
Self-Hosted OWASP ZAP	Free (plus infra costs)	Flexible DAST, customizable, open-source.	Tech-savvy teams with server resources.

HostedScan stands out for small teams, leveraging OWASP ZAP’s power (benchmarked at 80-90% vuln detection) in a no-hassle package. Try HostedScan

Disclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes; consult experts for full CRA compliance. Some links may be affiliate links, which earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. We do not represent or are affiliated with any solutions listed above.