Security in the IoT – Cyber Resilience Act, what now?

In February, the IoT Competence Group (in cooperation with the Security CG) hosted a webinar on the topic of “Security in the IoT – Cyber Resilience Act, what now?” The event aimed to shed light on the implications of the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) on manufacturers, providers and consumers of IoT products.

Following a welcome by representatives of the eco Association, Eric Clausing, Head of IoT at AV-TEST GmbH, provided an overview of the current security landscape in the IoT sector for 2023/2024. Philipp Ehmann, Senior Counsellor for Policy, Law & Regulations at the eco Association, then outlined the upcoming changes and obligations introduced by the CRA.

A focal point was the presentation by Jan Wendenburg, CEO of ONEKEY GmbH, who detailed the mandatory product cybersecurity requirements of the CRA and outlined the concrete measures manufacturers must now implement. Thomas Seider of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) concluded the session by discussing market surveillance and the BSI’s role in the CRA framework.

The webinar delivered valuable insights into the new regulatory landscape and shared practical strategies for companies preparing for compliance.

You can read more about this German-language topic here.

Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 in Barcelona

In 2024, the eco Association was once again part of the joint North Rhine-Westphalia stand at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona – the leading trade fair for the Internet of Things (IoT) and covering topics such as Industry 4.0, mobility, cybersecurity, AI, healthcare, smart cities and energy.

MWC 2024 was once again a real highlight of the year and was all about the future – under the motto “Future First”. eco used the stage to join forces with innovative member companies such as VS-Apps, VIVAI and Janado to show how digitalisation with IoT can look in practice. At the joint stand of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, they presented IoT applications, smart healthcare solutions and sustainable IT strategies that are already driving real change in cities and companies today. The focus was particularly on topics such as Internet security, digital sovereignty and the responsible handling of data.

For the second time, Dr. Bettina Horster, Head of the eco IoT Competence Group, represented the business location of North Rhine-Westphalia as a state representative. eco member Huawei offered a guided tour focused on 5.5G technology solutions, including a networking lunch.

The trade fair was not only a place to present the latest technologies, but also a meeting place for exchange, networking and international cooperation with strong partners from business and politics.

You can read more about eco at MWC 2024 here.

IoT in practice – from idea to implementation

On 20 November 2024, everything in Cologne revolved around the question: How does a good IoT idea become a successful project? eco and NetCologne brought experts and practical examples to the stage to show how smart technologies are already being used today.

After a welcome by eco IoT CG Leader Giovanni Coppa and Timo von Lepel from NetCologne, Bastian Faßnacht from NetCologne gave an introduction to the LoRaWAN wireless network standard. This serves as the technological basis for many IoT applications. The participants then took a closer look at four practical examples:

1. Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AG: Dietmar Klein showed how LoRaWAN is being used to make public transport processes more efficient and transparent.
   
2. Thermokon Sensortechnik GmbH: Mario Schröder explained how smart sensor technology can significantly reduce both energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in existing buildings.
   
3. DELL GmbH: Thomas Reith presented how IoT platforms help industry to make better use of resources and increase product quality.
   
4. Ocean Enterprise Collective: Andreas Fauler presented a visionary concept for data and AI ecosystems that enables new forms of intelligent collaboration.

An interactive panel discussion then highlighted what really drives IoT projects forward – from interoperability and data protection to long-term scalability. Participants took advantage of the opportunity for lively exchange, new contacts and concrete starting points for their own projects.