Tag: 3BL

LINCOLN, Neb., April 20, 2026 /3BL/ – Iconic science educator Bill Nye joins the Arbor Day Foundation in the fourth episode of its new podcast, “Unearthing Optimism.”

In a conversation with CEO and host Dan Lambe, Nye shares his journey to becoming the host of a beloved children’s science show, his passion for space exploration, and why the next generation gives him hope for the future.

“You can’t help but smile when you listen to Bill. He has an irresistible energy and humor that multiple generations have come to know and love. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who believes science can save the world,” said Lambe. “In a time when it’s easy to feel overcome by challenges, this podcast is a way for people to embrace hope. We’re grateful for the many listeners who are joining us on this journey.”

“Unearthing Optimism” is a new kind of climate conversation, featuring a series of influential and trusted voices shaping culture, science, and how we understand our changing world. It’s available to stream or download on all major podcasting platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

The podcast is produced in part by the Arbor Day Foundation, the world’s largest tree planting nonprofit. Since its founding in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has helped to plant more than 500 million trees.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners.

And this is only the beginning. 

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

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LINCOLN, Neb., April 20, 2026 /3BL/ – Iconic science educator Bill Nye joins the Arbor Day Foundation in the fourth episode of its new podcast, “Unearthing Optimism.”

In a conversation with CEO and host Dan Lambe, Nye shares his journey to becoming the host of a beloved children’s science show, his passion for space exploration, and why the next generation gives him hope for the future.

“You can’t help but smile when you listen to Bill. He has an irresistible energy and humor that multiple generations have come to know and love. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who believes science can save the world,” said Lambe. “In a time when it’s easy to feel overcome by challenges, this podcast is a way for people to embrace hope. We’re grateful for the many listeners who are joining us on this journey.”

“Unearthing Optimism” is a new kind of climate conversation, featuring a series of influential and trusted voices shaping culture, science, and how we understand our changing world. It’s available to stream or download on all major podcasting platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

The podcast is produced in part by the Arbor Day Foundation, the world’s largest tree planting nonprofit. Since its founding in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has helped to plant more than 500 million trees.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners.

And this is only the beginning. 

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

###

LINCOLN, Neb., April 20, 2026 /3BL/ – Iconic science educator Bill Nye joins the Arbor Day Foundation in the fourth episode of its new podcast, “Unearthing Optimism.”

In a conversation with CEO and host Dan Lambe, Nye shares his journey to becoming the host of a beloved children’s science show, his passion for space exploration, and why the next generation gives him hope for the future.

“You can’t help but smile when you listen to Bill. He has an irresistible energy and humor that multiple generations have come to know and love. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who believes science can save the world,” said Lambe. “In a time when it’s easy to feel overcome by challenges, this podcast is a way for people to embrace hope. We’re grateful for the many listeners who are joining us on this journey.”

“Unearthing Optimism” is a new kind of climate conversation, featuring a series of influential and trusted voices shaping culture, science, and how we understand our changing world. It’s available to stream or download on all major podcasting platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

The podcast is produced in part by the Arbor Day Foundation, the world’s largest tree planting nonprofit. Since its founding in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has helped to plant more than 500 million trees.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners.

And this is only the beginning. 

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

###

Contact media@actionagainsthunger.org for inquiries. 

• 24% of the population continues to suffer from food insecurity.
• More than 1.2 million people are displaced, including 390,000 children
• Some villages do not have access to water, hospitals, or livelihood opportunities
• 15% of children aged 6 to 23 months in displacement zones are fed only milk — a serious nutritional risk
• Action Against Hunger is maintaining and adapting its health, nutrition and essential services interventions to continue reaching the displaced population.

NEW YORK and BEIRUT, April 17, 2026 /3BL/ – Following the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, the humanitarian situation remains extremely fragile. Action Against Hunger warns that the cessation of hostilities has not brought immediate relief to the most vulnerable population, who continue to face displacement, massive destruction and a lack of access to basic services.

In the hours following the announcement, Action Against Hunger has observed very intense population movement with diverse patterns of mobility.

“Many people are trying to return to their homes, others are trying to return just to check on the condition of their homes, and others are unable to do so or decide to wait for fear of further displacement,” says Sonia Ben Salem, Action Against Hunger’s advocacy coordinator in Lebanon.

Currently, there are already more than 1,200,000 displaced people in Lebanon, including 390,000 children.

Action Against Hunger was already responding to needs before the ceasefire, so program activities are continuing, but there will be a shift in geographical focus depending on population movements.

Returning to destroyed homes

People trying to return home are finding themselves with nowhere to go.

“Many people are returning to homes that have been destroyed or severely damaged. Others cannot return because they live in areas declared high-risk, where clashes are still taking place,” explains Sonia. “The level of destruction in some areas is comparable to that in Gaza: entire villages razed to the ground, with no water, no hospitals, no means of livelihood.”

The primary need of the displaced population remains a safe and dignified place to stay, along with access to water, healthcare and other essential services.

A ceasefire does not eliminate vulnerability; the locations change, but needs remain

The ceasefire on its own does not reduce the population’s vulnerability or bring the emergency to an end. That is why our teams continue to adapt their response to new needs.

“It is not so much a question of changing what we do, but where we do it. The needs existed before the ceasefire and remain the same now,” explains Sonia. “We are adjusting our presence to continue reaching the places where people are moving to.”

Health and nutrition activities, which are vital for saving lives, remain a priority. It has been found that around 15% of children aged 6 to 23 months in displacement zones are fed only milk, posing a high risk to their health. Furthermore, 24% of the population faces acute food insecurity, a figure that has not decreased following the announcement of the ceasefire.

“A ceasefire does not restore homes, guarantee food or re-establish basic services. Vulnerability does not disappear overnight, and needs will persist for a long time if there is no reconstruction and restoration of public services,” concludes Sonia Ben Salem.

Action Against Hunger has been present in Lebanon since 2006, providing essential support to over 603,624 people in 2024. Currently, 112 members of the Action Against Hunger team are working in Lebanon.

***

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 26.5 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,500+ dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Contact media@actionagainsthunger.org for inquiries. 

• 24% of the population continues to suffer from food insecurity.
• More than 1.2 million people are displaced, including 390,000 children
• Some villages do not have access to water, hospitals, or livelihood opportunities
• 15% of children aged 6 to 23 months in displacement zones are fed only milk — a serious nutritional risk
• Action Against Hunger is maintaining and adapting its health, nutrition and essential services interventions to continue reaching the displaced population.

NEW YORK and BEIRUT, April 17, 2026 /3BL/ – Following the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, the humanitarian situation remains extremely fragile. Action Against Hunger warns that the cessation of hostilities has not brought immediate relief to the most vulnerable population, who continue to face displacement, massive destruction and a lack of access to basic services.

In the hours following the announcement, Action Against Hunger has observed very intense population movement with diverse patterns of mobility.

“Many people are trying to return to their homes, others are trying to return just to check on the condition of their homes, and others are unable to do so or decide to wait for fear of further displacement,” says Sonia Ben Salem, Action Against Hunger’s advocacy coordinator in Lebanon.

Currently, there are already more than 1,200,000 displaced people in Lebanon, including 390,000 children.

Action Against Hunger was already responding to needs before the ceasefire, so program activities are continuing, but there will be a shift in geographical focus depending on population movements.

Returning to destroyed homes

People trying to return home are finding themselves with nowhere to go.

“Many people are returning to homes that have been destroyed or severely damaged. Others cannot return because they live in areas declared high-risk, where clashes are still taking place,” explains Sonia. “The level of destruction in some areas is comparable to that in Gaza: entire villages razed to the ground, with no water, no hospitals, no means of livelihood.”

The primary need of the displaced population remains a safe and dignified place to stay, along with access to water, healthcare and other essential services.

A ceasefire does not eliminate vulnerability; the locations change, but needs remain

The ceasefire on its own does not reduce the population’s vulnerability or bring the emergency to an end. That is why our teams continue to adapt their response to new needs.

“It is not so much a question of changing what we do, but where we do it. The needs existed before the ceasefire and remain the same now,” explains Sonia. “We are adjusting our presence to continue reaching the places where people are moving to.”

Health and nutrition activities, which are vital for saving lives, remain a priority. It has been found that around 15% of children aged 6 to 23 months in displacement zones are fed only milk, posing a high risk to their health. Furthermore, 24% of the population faces acute food insecurity, a figure that has not decreased following the announcement of the ceasefire.

“A ceasefire does not restore homes, guarantee food or re-establish basic services. Vulnerability does not disappear overnight, and needs will persist for a long time if there is no reconstruction and restoration of public services,” concludes Sonia Ben Salem.

Action Against Hunger has been present in Lebanon since 2006, providing essential support to over 603,624 people in 2024. Currently, 112 members of the Action Against Hunger team are working in Lebanon.

***

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 26.5 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,500+ dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Contact media@actionagainsthunger.org for inquiries. 

• 24% of the population continues to suffer from food insecurity.
• More than 1.2 million people are displaced, including 390,000 children
• Some villages do not have access to water, hospitals, or livelihood opportunities
• 15% of children aged 6 to 23 months in displacement zones are fed only milk — a serious nutritional risk
• Action Against Hunger is maintaining and adapting its health, nutrition and essential services interventions to continue reaching the displaced population.

NEW YORK and BEIRUT, April 17, 2026 /3BL/ – Following the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, the humanitarian situation remains extremely fragile. Action Against Hunger warns that the cessation of hostilities has not brought immediate relief to the most vulnerable population, who continue to face displacement, massive destruction and a lack of access to basic services.

In the hours following the announcement, Action Against Hunger has observed very intense population movement with diverse patterns of mobility.

“Many people are trying to return to their homes, others are trying to return just to check on the condition of their homes, and others are unable to do so or decide to wait for fear of further displacement,” says Sonia Ben Salem, Action Against Hunger’s advocacy coordinator in Lebanon.

Currently, there are already more than 1,200,000 displaced people in Lebanon, including 390,000 children.

Action Against Hunger was already responding to needs before the ceasefire, so program activities are continuing, but there will be a shift in geographical focus depending on population movements.

Returning to destroyed homes

People trying to return home are finding themselves with nowhere to go.

“Many people are returning to homes that have been destroyed or severely damaged. Others cannot return because they live in areas declared high-risk, where clashes are still taking place,” explains Sonia. “The level of destruction in some areas is comparable to that in Gaza: entire villages razed to the ground, with no water, no hospitals, no means of livelihood.”

The primary need of the displaced population remains a safe and dignified place to stay, along with access to water, healthcare and other essential services.

A ceasefire does not eliminate vulnerability; the locations change, but needs remain

The ceasefire on its own does not reduce the population’s vulnerability or bring the emergency to an end. That is why our teams continue to adapt their response to new needs.

“It is not so much a question of changing what we do, but where we do it. The needs existed before the ceasefire and remain the same now,” explains Sonia. “We are adjusting our presence to continue reaching the places where people are moving to.”

Health and nutrition activities, which are vital for saving lives, remain a priority. It has been found that around 15% of children aged 6 to 23 months in displacement zones are fed only milk, posing a high risk to their health. Furthermore, 24% of the population faces acute food insecurity, a figure that has not decreased following the announcement of the ceasefire.

“A ceasefire does not restore homes, guarantee food or re-establish basic services. Vulnerability does not disappear overnight, and needs will persist for a long time if there is no reconstruction and restoration of public services,” concludes Sonia Ben Salem.

Action Against Hunger has been present in Lebanon since 2006, providing essential support to over 603,624 people in 2024. Currently, 112 members of the Action Against Hunger team are working in Lebanon.

***

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 26.5 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,500+ dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Contact media@actionagainsthunger.org for inquiries. 

• 24% of the population continues to suffer from food insecurity.
• More than 1.2 million people are displaced, including 390,000 children
• Some villages do not have access to water, hospitals, or livelihood opportunities
• 15% of children aged 6 to 23 months in displacement zones are fed only milk — a serious nutritional risk
• Action Against Hunger is maintaining and adapting its health, nutrition and essential services interventions to continue reaching the displaced population.

NEW YORK and BEIRUT, April 17, 2026 /3BL/ – Following the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, the humanitarian situation remains extremely fragile. Action Against Hunger warns that the cessation of hostilities has not brought immediate relief to the most vulnerable population, who continue to face displacement, massive destruction and a lack of access to basic services.

In the hours following the announcement, Action Against Hunger has observed very intense population movement with diverse patterns of mobility.

“Many people are trying to return to their homes, others are trying to return just to check on the condition of their homes, and others are unable to do so or decide to wait for fear of further displacement,” says Sonia Ben Salem, Action Against Hunger’s advocacy coordinator in Lebanon.

Currently, there are already more than 1,200,000 displaced people in Lebanon, including 390,000 children.

Action Against Hunger was already responding to needs before the ceasefire, so program activities are continuing, but there will be a shift in geographical focus depending on population movements.

Returning to destroyed homes

People trying to return home are finding themselves with nowhere to go.

“Many people are returning to homes that have been destroyed or severely damaged. Others cannot return because they live in areas declared high-risk, where clashes are still taking place,” explains Sonia. “The level of destruction in some areas is comparable to that in Gaza: entire villages razed to the ground, with no water, no hospitals, no means of livelihood.”

The primary need of the displaced population remains a safe and dignified place to stay, along with access to water, healthcare and other essential services.

A ceasefire does not eliminate vulnerability; the locations change, but needs remain

The ceasefire on its own does not reduce the population’s vulnerability or bring the emergency to an end. That is why our teams continue to adapt their response to new needs.

“It is not so much a question of changing what we do, but where we do it. The needs existed before the ceasefire and remain the same now,” explains Sonia. “We are adjusting our presence to continue reaching the places where people are moving to.”

Health and nutrition activities, which are vital for saving lives, remain a priority. It has been found that around 15% of children aged 6 to 23 months in displacement zones are fed only milk, posing a high risk to their health. Furthermore, 24% of the population faces acute food insecurity, a figure that has not decreased following the announcement of the ceasefire.

“A ceasefire does not restore homes, guarantee food or re-establish basic services. Vulnerability does not disappear overnight, and needs will persist for a long time if there is no reconstruction and restoration of public services,” concludes Sonia Ben Salem.

Action Against Hunger has been present in Lebanon since 2006, providing essential support to over 603,624 people in 2024. Currently, 112 members of the Action Against Hunger team are working in Lebanon.

***

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 26.5 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,500+ dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

April is Volunteer Month, and we’re proud to reflect on an incredible year of giving back. In 2025, our amazing volunteers dedicated more than 160,000 hours to make a positive impact in the communities we serve. Check out our full 2025 Performance Report to see how we’re making a difference together.

Empowering our communities
Giving back to our communities, and empowering them, is at the core of our corporate mission. In 2025, our continued focus on improving the lives of our customers and communities resulted in an economic impact of $145.3 million across our service area. Our dedicated employees contributed 169,000 hours of volunteer service, valued at $5.8 million.

The Civic 50 honoree 
In 2025, Entergy was again recognized as an honoree of The Civic 50, in which Points of Light highlights U.S. companies leading the way in employee volunteerism and community investment. It was the 10th consecutive year that Entergy has received this significant honor. In addition, Entergy was named the Utilities Sector Leader for the third consecutive year and was named this year’s Volunteer Leader Awardee for the first time.

Helping our customers “Beat the Heat”
In response to high temperatures in summer 2025, our shareholders, customers and employees focused on helping customers who were struggling to pay their energy bills.

Through the 2025 program, we:

• Donated $2.8 million from shareholders, employees and customers to The Power to Care program that helps older adults and customers with disabilities pay their energy bills.
• Gave all residential customers access to Single Stop, an online platform that connects families in need with financial resources.
• More than 6,000 customers were able to receive almost $500,000 in additional financial assistance and benefits from federal, state and local resources.
• Awarded more than $100,000 in grants to provide electric fans and home weatherization kits to help customers stay cool and reduce their energy use.
• Donated $25,000 to local organizations that weatherize homes for customers needing assistance.
• Held community outreach fairs in underserved neighborhoods, where customers received on-site help and resources for managing their bills, energy efficiency kits, pro bono legal aid, Kids to College savings accounts, and more.
• Provided more than 4,000 free electric fans to help customers beat high temperatures and save on electricity bills throughout the summer.
• Distributed more than 1,000 energy efficiency kits to customers, with money-saving LED lightbulbs, advanced power strips, bathroom faucet aerators and V-seal weatherstripping.

Free tax preparation for our customers
For more than 15 years, we have provided free tax preparation for our low-to-moderate-income customers at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites across our service area in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Every year, our IRS-certified employees help customers file their taxes and access valuable information on tax credits and deductions they are eligible for, maximizing their tax refunds. In 2025, Entergy helped low-to-moderate-income customers receive $54.2 million in federal tax refunds. Since 2009, our support of VITA sites has helped return $333 million to nearly 200,000 customers in our service area.

Read the full report here.

In 2024, the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) became law, reshaping security expectations for digital products sold in the EU. By 2027, the regulation will be fully enforced, and new digital products will need to demonstrate compliance. The CRA introduces security-by-design and security-by-default requirements, raising the baseline for products that previously shipped with little or no protection.

To help manufacturers apply the CRA consistently, EU standards bodies are developing Harmonized Standards. Cybersecurity knowledge and resources are unevenly distributed across industry, and not every organization has the same in-house expertise to translate legislation into a robust test plan. Without a shared framework, vendors could interpret requirements differently, leading to inconsistent assessments, gaps in protection, and added risk for both manufacturers and the European marketplace. Harmonized Standards capture industry security expertise as risk-driven requirements. This approach offers a more straightforward path to compliance by defining process requirements in horizontal standards and specifying requirements for each device class in vertical standards.

The CRA aims to safeguard consumers and businesses by protecting not only personal data, such as credentials, but essentially any data that has value to its user. That can include, for example, operational data, configuration settings, usage information, or proprietary data processed by the device. Even if a product may not appear to handle “sensitive” data, this information can still reveal behavior, enable profiling, or be used to pivot into other systems. If a device is to be trusted to protect any data it handles, it is important that its functionality cannot be changed by adversaries. If an adversary can modify firmware, change configurations, or replace code with malicious code, they can bypass protections, alter outputs, or use the product as a foothold into a larger system. And even if the data itself isn’t valuable, users will still care that the device cannot be manipulated, because altered functionality can create safety or reliability risks.

Boot Managers appear as a line item in the CRA because of their vital role in the chain of trust. This function ensures a device only executes approved code and cannot be hijacked for malicious purposes. The Boot Manager sits in the SoC (System-on-Chip), the heart of any digital product, and consists of hardware and low-level software (firmware). The hardware consists of cryptographic functions, sensors, OTP registers, and memory. The firmware provides protected data flow, checkpoints, and error handling.

The new ETSI EN 304 623 draft standard elaborates the high-level CRA requirements for Boot Managers, such as the use of cryptography to protect data, and a standard configuration enabling these security features. The standard includes a total of 92 detailed requirements that Boot Managers need to satisfy to be considered secure. These are derived from a threat and risk assessment (TARA), which is also included in the standard to provide evidence that threats have been modelled.

For a Boot Manager to be CRA compliant, it is important that its features are not only designed well but also implemented well. The standard therefore includes a section on conformity assessment, describing what a test lab should do to verify correctness.

The release of this new draft standard underlines that CRA is not only about software, but also about hardware and firmware. As a result, many more chips will need to include a Boot Manager / Root of Trust, and developers will be expected to demonstrate that these security functions are implemented correctly and can withstand realistic threat scenarios.

Keysight supports its customers throughout every stage of CRA product security evaluation. From interpreting CRA requirements and emerging harmonized standards, to security evaluation and test execution, and ultimately evidence generation for conformity assessment, we work with your team to manage the complete security lifecycle of your product. Learn more about Keysight CRA services on this page.

Want more stories like this? Subscribe to the Keysight Device Security Bulletin for monthly highlights on device security trends and practical insights — brought to you by the Keysight device security team.

In 2024, the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) became law, reshaping security expectations for digital products sold in the EU. By 2027, the regulation will be fully enforced, and new digital products will need to demonstrate compliance. The CRA introduces security-by-design and security-by-default requirements, raising the baseline for products that previously shipped with little or no protection.

To help manufacturers apply the CRA consistently, EU standards bodies are developing Harmonized Standards. Cybersecurity knowledge and resources are unevenly distributed across industry, and not every organization has the same in-house expertise to translate legislation into a robust test plan. Without a shared framework, vendors could interpret requirements differently, leading to inconsistent assessments, gaps in protection, and added risk for both manufacturers and the European marketplace. Harmonized Standards capture industry security expertise as risk-driven requirements. This approach offers a more straightforward path to compliance by defining process requirements in horizontal standards and specifying requirements for each device class in vertical standards.

The CRA aims to safeguard consumers and businesses by protecting not only personal data, such as credentials, but essentially any data that has value to its user. That can include, for example, operational data, configuration settings, usage information, or proprietary data processed by the device. Even if a product may not appear to handle “sensitive” data, this information can still reveal behavior, enable profiling, or be used to pivot into other systems. If a device is to be trusted to protect any data it handles, it is important that its functionality cannot be changed by adversaries. If an adversary can modify firmware, change configurations, or replace code with malicious code, they can bypass protections, alter outputs, or use the product as a foothold into a larger system. And even if the data itself isn’t valuable, users will still care that the device cannot be manipulated, because altered functionality can create safety or reliability risks.

Boot Managers appear as a line item in the CRA because of their vital role in the chain of trust. This function ensures a device only executes approved code and cannot be hijacked for malicious purposes. The Boot Manager sits in the SoC (System-on-Chip), the heart of any digital product, and consists of hardware and low-level software (firmware). The hardware consists of cryptographic functions, sensors, OTP registers, and memory. The firmware provides protected data flow, checkpoints, and error handling.

The new ETSI EN 304 623 draft standard elaborates the high-level CRA requirements for Boot Managers, such as the use of cryptography to protect data, and a standard configuration enabling these security features. The standard includes a total of 92 detailed requirements that Boot Managers need to satisfy to be considered secure. These are derived from a threat and risk assessment (TARA), which is also included in the standard to provide evidence that threats have been modelled.

For a Boot Manager to be CRA compliant, it is important that its features are not only designed well but also implemented well. The standard therefore includes a section on conformity assessment, describing what a test lab should do to verify correctness.

The release of this new draft standard underlines that CRA is not only about software, but also about hardware and firmware. As a result, many more chips will need to include a Boot Manager / Root of Trust, and developers will be expected to demonstrate that these security functions are implemented correctly and can withstand realistic threat scenarios.

Keysight supports its customers throughout every stage of CRA product security evaluation. From interpreting CRA requirements and emerging harmonized standards, to security evaluation and test execution, and ultimately evidence generation for conformity assessment, we work with your team to manage the complete security lifecycle of your product. Learn more about Keysight CRA services on this page.

Want more stories like this? Subscribe to the Keysight Device Security Bulletin for monthly highlights on device security trends and practical insights — brought to you by the Keysight device security team.