EN 18031 Scope and Applicability for Connected Products

Before teams can map requirements or prepare evidence, they need to define scope properly.

For connected products, that usually means answering two questions early. Does EN 18031 apply to the product, and which parts of the product ecosystem need to be included in the assessment?

Start Your Free EN 18031 Assessment

This page is for teams that already know EN 18031 may be relevant and need a practical way to determine scope.

A good scope assessment helps you answer:

  • whether the product falls within the relevant cybersecurity requirements

  • which EN 18031 part is likely to matter most

  • which product components need review

  • which teams need to be involved

  • what should move into requirements mapping next

What Should Be Included in Scope

In many cases, scope extends beyond the physical product. Your assessment may need to include:

  • the radio-enabled device

  • companion mobile or web apps

  • backend or cloud services

  • account creation and login flows

  • remote administration functions

  • software and firmware update paths

  • storage or transfer of personal, traffic, or location data

  • product support processes tied to security or vulnerability handling

A narrower review often looks simpler at first, but it creates gaps later when teams start documenting controls and responsibilities.

Besoin de plus d'informations ?

En contactant QIMA, vous acceptez notre politique de confidentialité et nos conditions générales.

How to Assess Device, App, and Backend Together

A useful scoping exercise should follow the way the product actually works.

Start with the product journey:

  1. how the product connects

  2. how users access it

  3. what systems it depends on

  4. where data moves

  5. how updates are delivered

  6. what happens when a security issue is found

This makes it easier to identify whether the product relies on components outside the hardware itself.

Signals That Scope May Be Broader Than Expected

Scope is often broader when the product:

  • depends on a companion app for setup or control

  • sends data to a cloud platform

  • processes personal, traffic, or location data

  • supports remote access or remote configuration

  • receives firmware or software updates

  • includes user accounts, permissions, or admin roles

  • handles payments, transfers, or stored value

If several of these are true, the review should usually cover more than the device alone.

Common Scoping Mistakes

Teams often run into problems when they:

  • treat hardware as the full product boundary

  • ignore backend dependencies

  • leave app flows out of the review

  • do not define ownership between engineering, compliance, and security

  • start evidence collection before scope is agreed

  • mix product features with regulatory scope without documenting the link

These issues usually cause delays later, especially when requirement mapping begins.

What a Good Scoping Output Looks Like

A useful scope assessment should produce something concrete. At minimum, teams should leave with:

  • a clear statement on whether EN 18031 is relevant

  • the likely standard part or parts involved

  • a documented boundary across device, app, and backend

  • a list of systems, functions, and flows included in review

  • identified owners for the next step

  • a clean handoff into requirements mapping and evidence preparation

How Cyberexpert Helps

Cyberexpert helps teams structure this work from the start.

With Cyberexpert, teams can:

  • assess whether EN 18031 is relevant to the product

  • define scope across device, app, and backend

  • identify the systems and flows that need review

  • organize the next step for requirements mapping

  • create a clearer starting point for documentation and evidence work

Start Your Free EN 18031 Assessment