ETSI EN 304 620 V1.0.0 (2026-08)

Draft ETSI EN 304 620 V1.0.0 (2026-08)

HARMONISED EUROPEAN STANDARD
Cyber Security (CYBER);
CRA;
Cybersecurity requirements for
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

2 Draft ETSI EN 304 620 V1.0.0 (2026-08)

Reference
DEN/CYBER-EUS-005
Keywords
CRA, cybersecurity, VPN
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ETSI
3 Draft ETSI EN 304 620 V1.0.0 (2026-08)
Contents
Intellectual Property Rights . 19
Foreword. 19
Modal verbs terminology . 20
Introduction . 20
1 Scope . 21
2 References . 21
2.1 Normative references . 21
2.2 Informative references . 21
3 Definition of terms, symbols, abbreviations and naming conventions . 23
3.1 Terms . 23
3.2 Symbols . 24
3.3 Abbreviations . 24
3.4 Naming conventions . 25
4 Product context . 25
4.1 Product Functions . 25
4.1.1 Overview . 25
4.1.2 Potential functions of a node . 26
4.1.2.1 Authentication . 26
4.1.2.2 Access control . 26
4.1.2.3 Traffic encryption . 26
4.1.2.4 Routing . 26
4.1.2.5 Filtering . 26
4.1.3 Potential roles of nodes . 26
4.1.4 Capabilities of nodes . 26
4.2 Product Architecture . 27
4.2.1 Product overview . 27
4.2.2 Network topology and relationship between nodes . 27
4.2.3 VPN client . 28
4.2.4 VPN server, VPN gateway . 29
4.2.4.1 Server & gateway responsibilities . 29
4.2.4.2 Server & gateway remote data processing . 29
4.2.5 Management server . 29
4.3 Operational Environment . 29
4.3.1 General description . 29
4.3.2 Hardware environment . 29
4.3.3 Software environment . 30
4.3.4 Connectivity aspects . 31
4.4 Distribution of Security Functions . 31
4.4.1 Cybersecurity function distribution overview . 31
4.4.2 Cybersecurity Functionalities Offered to Integrated Components . 32
4.4.3 Cybersecurity functions required from the environment . 32
4.5 Users . 32
4.6 Use Cases . 33
4.6.1 Introduction to Use Cases . 33
4.6.2 UC-1 Individual consumer . 33
4.6.3 UC-2 Privacy conscious household . 33
4.6.4 UC-3 Journalist, activist, legal professionals . 33
4.6.5 UC-4 Small enterprise, small not-for-profit organization . 34
4.6.6 UC-5 Large enterprise . 34
4.6.7 UC-6 Enterprise with independent VPN infrastructure . 34
4.6.8 UC-7 Mesh Network . 34
5 Technical requirements for products . 35
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4 Draft ETSI EN 304 620 V1.0.0 (2026-08)
5.1 Introduction - Applicability of the requirements . 35
5.2 Appropriate level of cybersecurity . 37
5.2.1 Overview . 37
5.2.1.1 CRA Relevance . 37
5.2.1.2 Secure software design and development . 37
5.2.2 REQ-SSD-01 Memory access error prevention . 37
5.2.2.1 Requirement . 37
5.2.2.2 Applicability . 37
5.2.3 REQ-SSD-02 Resilience against potentially untrusted inputs . 38
5.2.3.1 Requirement . 38
5.2.3.2 Applicability . 38
5.2.4 REQ-SSD-03 Applicability of Annex R . 38
5.2.4.1 Requirement . 38
5.2.4.2 Applicability . 38
5.2.4.3 Guidance . 39
5.2.5 Mapping of requirements to use cases. 39
5.3 No known exploitable vulnerabilities . 39
5.3.1 Overview . 39
5.3.2 REQ-KEV-01 Testing for known exploitable vulnerabilities . 39
5.3.2.1 Requirement . 39
5.3.2.2 Applicability . 39
5.3.2.3 Guidance . 40
5.3.3 Mapping of requirements to use cases. 40
5.4 Secure by default configuration . 40
5.4.1 Overview . 40
5.4.2 REQ-SBD-01 Unintentional disabling of cybersecurity features . 40
5.4.2.1 Requirement . 40
5.4.2.2 Applicability . 40
5.4.3 Mapping of requirements to use cases. 41
5.5 Security updates . 41
5.5.1 Overview . 41
5.5.2 REQ-SU-01 Automatic secure update before or during first use . 41
5.5.2.1 Requirement . 41
5.5.2.2 Applicability . 41
5.5.3 REQ-SU-02 Automatic secure update via operational environment before or during first use . 41
5.5.3.1 Requirement . 41
5.5.3.2 Applicability . 41
5.5.4 REQ-SU-03 Secure update via product . 42
5.5.4.1 Requirement . 42
5.5.4.2 Applicability . 42
5.5.5 REQ-SU-04 Automatic secure update via product . 42
5.5.5.1 Requirement . 42
5.5.5.2 Applicability . 42
5.5.6 REQ-SU-05 Secure update provided by operational environment . 43
5.5.6.1 Requirement . 43
5.5.6.2 Applicability . 43
5.5.7 REQ-SU-06 Automatic secure update provided by operational environment . 43
5.5.7.1 Requirement . 43
5.5.7.2 Applicability . 43
5.5.8 REQ-SU-07 Updates are signed and verified before installation . 44
5.5.8.1 Requirement . 44
5.5.8.2 Applicability . 44
5.5.9 REQ-SU-08 Only authorized software updates. 44
5.5.9.1 Requirement . 44
5.5.9.2 Applicability . 44
5.5.10 REQ-SU-09 Secure update has validly signed hash . 44
5.5.10.1 Requirement . 44
5.5.10.2 Applicability . 44
5.5.10.3 Guidance . 45
5.5.11 REQ-SU-10 Invalidated update is rejected . 45
5.5.11.1 Requirement . 45
5.5.11.2 Applicability . 45
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5.5.11.3 Guidance . 45
5.5.12 REQ-SU-11 Signing keys have strictly scoped usage . 46
5.5.12.1 Requirement . 46
5.5.12.2 Applicability . 46
5.5.12.3 Guidance . 46
5.5.13 REQ-SU-12 Signing keys have not been revoked or otherwise marked untrusted . 46
5.5.13.1 Requirement . 46
5.5.13.2 Applicability . 46
5.5.13.3 Guidance . 47
5.5.14 REQ-SU-13 Reject update to current or previous version . 47
5.5.14.1 Requirement . 47
5.5.14.2 Applicability . 47
5.5.15 REQ-SU-14 Updates not applied from expired sources . 48
5.5.15.1 Requirement . 48
5.5.15.2 Applicability . 48
5.5.16 Mapping of requirements to use cases. 48
5.6 Authentication and access control . 48
5.6.1 Overview . 48
5.6.2 REQ-AAC-01 Authentication of cybersecurity-relevant nodes . 49
5.6.2.1 Requirement . 49
5.6.2.2 Applicability . 49
5.6.2.3 Guidance . 49
5.6.3 REQ-AAC-02 Encryption of transmitted credentials . 49
5.6.3.1 Requirement . 49
5.6.3.2 Applicability . 49
5.6.4 REQ-AAC-03 Authentication timeout . 49
5.6.4.1 Requirement . 49
5.6.4.2 Applicability . 50
5.6.5 REQ-AAC-04 Cloned credentials detection . 50
5.6.5.1 Requirement . 50
5.6.5.2 Applicability . 50
5.6.6 REQ-AAC-05 Forced revocation of authorization of endpoints . 50
5.6.6.1 Requirement . 50
5.6.6.2 Applicability . 51
5.6.7 REQ-AAC-06 Brute force protection . 51
5.6.7.1 Requirement . 51
5.6.7.2 Applicability . 51
5.6.8 REQ-AAC-07 Authorization of endpoints . 51
5.6.8.1 Requirement . 51
5.6.8.2 Applicability . 52
5.6.9 REQ-AAC-08 Fine-grain access control . 52
5.6.9.1 Requirement . 52
5.6.9.2 Applicability . 52
5.6.10 Mapping of requirements to use cases. 52
5.7 Confidentiality protection . 53
5.7.1 Overview . 53
5.7.1.1 CRA relevance . 53
5.7.1.2 Confidentiality of DNS queries . 53
5.7.2 REQ-CON-01 VPN routing stays in effect until VPN connection deactivated . 53
5.7.2.1 Requirement . 53
5.7.2.2 Applicability . 53
5.7.3 REQ-CON-02 VPN routing stays in effect during network-level tunnel failure . 54
5.7.3.1 Requirement . 54
5.7.3.2 Applicability . 54
5.7.4 REQ-CON-03 Tunnel all traffic by default . 54
5.7.4.1 Requirement . 54
5.7.4.2 Applicability . 54
5.7.5 REQ-CON-04 Endpoint to endpoint encryption . 54
5.7.5.1 Requirement . 54
5.7.5.2 Applicability . 55
5.7.6 REQ-CON-05 Inform user of visibility of DNS queries . 55
5.7.6.1 Requirement . 55
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5.7.6.2 Applicability . 55
5.7.7 REQ-CON-06 Configurable exclusive DNS routing . 55
5.7.7.1 Requirement . 55
5.7.7.2 Applicability . 56
5.7.8 REQ-CON-07 Exclusive DNS routing by default . 56
5.7.8.1 Requirement . 56
5.7.8.2 Applicability . 56
5.7.9 REQ-CON-08 DNS configuration consistency . 56
5.7.9.1 Requirement . 56
5.7.9.2 Applicability . 56
5.7.10 REQ-CON-09 Secure DNS protocols . 57
5.7.10.1 Requirement . 57
5.7.10.2 Applicability . 57
5.7.11 REQ-CON-10 No DNS leaks during network-level tunnel failure . 57
5.7.11.1 Requirement . 57
5.7.11.2 Applicability . 57
5.7.12 REQ-CON-11 Block IPv6 if Unsupported . 57
5.7.12.1 Requirement . 57
5.7.12.2 Applicability . 58
5.7.13 REQ-CON-12 Full Support if Claimed . 58
5.7.13.1 Requirement . 58
5.7.13.2 Applicability . 58
5.7.14 REQ-CON-13 Use conformant cryptography . 58
5.7.14.1 Requirement . 58
5.7.14.2 Applicability . 58
5.7.15 REQ-CON-14 Protect confidentiality of data stored on the product . 59
5.7.15.1 Requirement . 59
5.7.15.2 Applicability . 59
5.7.16 REQ-CON-15 Inform user of limits of privacy protection . 59
5.7.16.1 Requirement . 59
5.7.16.2 Applicability . 60
5.7.17 Mapping of requirements to use cases. 60
5.8 Integrity protection . 60
5.8.1 Overview . 60
5.8.2 REQ-INT-01 VPN client restores any system configuration it changes to its previous state after the
VPN connection ends . 60
5.8.2.1 Requirement . 60
5.8.2.2 Applicability . 61
5.8.3 REQ-INT-02 VPN client provides a method to restore any system configuration it changes to its
previous state . 61
5.8.3.1 Requirement . 61
5.8.3.2 Applicability . 61
5.8.4 REQ-INT-03 VPN client does not degrade system security . 61
5.8.4.1 Requirement . 61
5.8.4.2 Applicability . 61
5.8.5 REQ-INT-04 Application protocol validity checks. 62
5.8.5.1 Requirement . 62
5.8.5.2 Applicability . 62
5.8.6 REQ-INT-05 Application protocol validity checks by operational environment . 62
5.8.6.1 Requirement . 62
5.8.6.2 Applicability . 62
5.8.7 Mapping of requirements to use cases. 63
5.9 Data minimisation . 63
5.9.1 Overview . 63
5.9.2 REQ-DM-01 Data minimisation across the product . 63
5.9.2.1 Requirement . 63
5.9.2.2 Applicability . 63
5.9.3 REQ-DM-02 No Personal Data sent outside endpoint . 63
5.9.3.1 Requirement . 63
5.9.3.2 Applicability . 64
5.9.4 REQ-DM-03 Minimise Personal Data required for service provisioning and payment . 64
5.9.4.1 Requirement . 64
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5.9.4.2 Applicability . 64
5.9.5 REQ-DM-04 Minimise Personal Data stored . 64
5.9.5.1 Requirement . 64
5.9.5.2 Applicability . 64
5.9.6 REQ-DM-05 No data persistence or storage enabled on exit nodes . 65
5.9.6.1 Requirement . 65
5.9.6.2 Applicability . 65
5.9.7 Mapping of requirements to use cases. 65
5.10 Availability protection . 65
5.10.1 Overview . 65
5.10.2 REQ-AP-01 Fast packet drop . 65
5.10.2.1 Requirement . 65
5.10.2.2 Applicability . 66
5.10.3 REQ-AP-02 Limit memory usage . 66
5.10.3.1 Requirement . 66
5.10.3.2 Applicability . 66
5.10.4 REQ-AP-03 Availability protection provided by operational environment . 66
5.10.4.1 Requirement . 66
5.10.4.2 Applicability . 66
5.10.5 REQ-AP-04 Rate limit unauthenticated traffic . 67
5.10.5.1 Requirement . 67
5.10.5.2 Applicability . 67
5.10.6 Mapping of requirements to use cases. 67
5.11 Non-interference .
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