Understanding the RED Cybersecurity Directive

The revised European Radio Equipment Directive (RED), specifically Article 3.3 (d), (e) and (f), introduces mandatory cybersecurity requirements for wireless devices. These rules address:

• the protection of personal data,
• the prevention of network misuse,
• and the resilience of connected products against cyber threats.

The associated technical standard — EN 18031 — defines how devices must be designed, configured, and maintained to meet these obligations. Compliance involves proving:

• the existence of effective access controls and user authentication,
• secure firmware update mechanisms,
• robust protection of stored and transmitted data,
• resistance to common threats such as brute-force or replay attacks.

The certification process is rigorous and requires technical validation of how these principles are implemented, not only in software, but also in manufacturing, user documentation, and support infrastructure.

Behind the Scenes: A Complex, Coordinated Effort

Achieving this certification was anything but routine. Over many months, NETGEAR teams worked closely with security auditors and testing labs, aligning our architecture with every clause of the EN 18031 framework. This included proving the implementation of secure storage protocols, verifying the uniqueness of cryptographic keys, demonstrating the enforcement of password policies, as well as documenting how update integrity is preserved throughout our lifecycle tools.

The process required full traceability: every control had to be demonstrable, from the login mechanisms in our user interface to how logs persist after device reboots.

This was not a simple “checkbox” exercise. It required an engineering-level security-by-design approach across our entire range of access points. At several stages, certain features had to be redesigned, firmware re-signed, and factory processes adapted to comply with evolving regulatory interpretations.

What This Means for IT Decision-Makers

For IT and network managers in Europe, compliance with the RED technical standard EN 1803 is a legal requirement for deploying wireless infrastructure. By certifying our access points in advance, NETGEAR enables businesses to achieve compliance more easily and quickly — without compromise.

You gain the assurance that your wireless devices meet the highest European cybersecurity standards, which supports your internal security policies, purchasing approvals, and vendor risk assessments.

More importantly, this milestone reflects our broader mission: to be a trusted partner delivering not only performance and affordability, but also security and regulatory peace of mind.

Looking Ahead

NETGEAR is proud to announce that our Wi-Fi Access Point families, WAX210, WAX610, WAX620, WAX605, WAX610W, WBE700, WBE710, and WBE750, have officially received RED Cybersecurity Certification under the European Union’s Radio Equipment Directive.

This certification marks a significant milestone in our commitment to security, compliance, and product excellence — particularly at a time when wireless networks are a foundational layer of every business IT environment.

NETGEAR’s RED certification is an achievement we are proud of, but also a promise. As cybersecurity standards continue to evolve, we remain committed to leading the way with secure, transparent, and future-ready enterprise networking solutions.

For our customers and partners, this means access points you can deploy with confidence — today and tomorrow.

More information

More information about our enterprise products.

Learn everything about IP-networking on our NETGEAR ACADEMY.

Our engineers will help you on your project for free.