ETSI EN 304 635 V1.0.1 (2026-06)

Draft ETSI EN 304 635 V1.0.1 (2026-06)

HARMONISED EUROPEAN STANDARD
Cyber Security (CYBER);
CRA;
Cybersecurity requirements
for Virtualisation Execution Stack (VES)
and Container Execution Stack (CES),
including hypervisors and container runtime systems

2 Draft ETSI EN 304 635 V1.0.1 (2026-06)

Reference
DEN/CYBER-EUS-0016
Keywords
container, CRA, cybersecurity, virtualisation

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ETSI
3 Draft ETSI EN 304 635 V1.0.1 (2026-06)
Contents
Intellectual Property Rights . 13
Foreword . 13
Modal verbs terminology . 14
Introduction . 14
1 Scope . 15
2 References . 15
2.1 Normative references . 15
2.2 Informative references . 16
3 Definition of terms, symbols and abbreviations . 17
3.1 Terms . 17
3.2 Symbols . 19
3.3 Abbreviations . 19
4 Product Context . 21
4.1 Product Functions . 21
4.1.1 General . 21
4.1.2 VES . 21
4.1.2.1 Intended purpose and reasonably foreseeable use of the VES . 21
4.1.2.2 Intended purpose and reasonably foreseeable use of the Hypervisor . 21
4.1.2.3 Intended purpose and reasonably foreseeable use of the M&O system . 22
4.1.3 CES . 22
4.1.3.1 Intended purpose and reasonably foreseeable use of the CES . 22
4.1.3.2 Intended purpose and reasonably foreseeable use of the CRS . 22
4.1.3.3 Intended purpose and reasonably foreseeable use of the CE . 23
4.1.3.4 Intended purpose and reasonably foreseeable use of the CO . 23
4.2 Product architecture . 23
4.2.1 General distinction of components . 23
4.2.2 VES . 23
4.2.2.1 Architectural types and virtualisation techniques of VES . 23
4.2.2.2 In-scope components of the VES . 24
4.2.2.2.1 Hypervisor . 24
4.2.2.2.2 Management and Orchestration System . 25
4.2.2.3 Security-relevant environmental dependencies (out of scope) . 26
4.2.3 CES . 27
4.2.3.1 In-scope components . 27
4.2.3.2 Security-relevant environmental dependencies (out of scope) . 28
4.2.4 Deployment of M&O, CE, and CO outside the local execution environment . 28
4.2.5 Product variants and conforming products . 29
4.2.5.1 Definition of conforming products . 29
4.2.5.2 Product variants . 29
4.3 Operational environment . 30
4.3.1 General Principles . 30
4.3.2 Security Objectives for the Operational Environment . 30
4.3.3 Reference to Relevant CRA Harmonised Standards . 32
4.4 Distribution of Security Functions . 32
4.5 Users . 32
4.6 Use cases . 33
4.6.1 Purpose . 33
4.6.2 Use Cases for VES . 33
4.6.3 Use Cases for CES . 35
4.6.4 Use Case to Risk Mapping . 37
5 Technical Requirements for products . 37
5.1 Risk-Based requirement classes/categorization and application . 37
5.1.1 Requirement Classes, Categorization and Security Profiles . 37
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4 Draft ETSI EN 304 635 V1.0.1 (2026-06)
5.1.1.1 Definition of Requirement Classes: Basic, Elevated, Advanced . 37
5.1.1.2 Security Profile Definitions . 38
5.1.1.3 Requirement Categorization . 38
5.1.1.4 Guidance for Manufacturers. 39
5.1.2 Requirement Application . 40
5.1.2.1 Approaches for determining security requirements . 40
5.1.2.2 SP-Based Requirement Application . 40
5.1.3 Applicability of requirements . 41
5.2 VES Security Requirements . 42
5.2.1 Hypervisor Requirements . 42
5.2.1.1 Isolation . 42
5.2.1.1.1 General . 42
5.2.1.1.2 VM Isolation . 42
5.2.1.1.3 Control Plane Isolation . 43
5.2.1.1.4 Network Plane Separation . 44
5.2.1.2 Integrity Protection. 45
5.2.1.2.1 Boot integrity verification . 45
5.2.1.2.2 Guest VM image integrity verification . 46
5.2.1.2.3 Runtime integrity protection . 47
5.2.1.2.4 Remote attestation . 47
5.2.1.3 Authentication . 48
5.2.1.3.1 General . 48
5.2.1.3.2 Administrative Authentication . 49
5.2.1.3.3 Service Authentication . 49
5.2.1.4 Authorization . 50
5.2.1.4.1 General . 50
5.2.1.4.2 Administrative Authorization . 50
5.2.1.4.3 Service Authorization . 51
5.2.1.5 Confidentiality Protection . 51
5.2.1.6 Availability and Resilience . 52
5.2.1.7 Logging . 53
5.2.1.8 Secure Update . 54
5.2.1.9 Secure Configuration and Default . 55
5.2.1.10 Data Minimisation . 56
5.2.1.11 Decommissioning . 56
5.2.2 Management and Orchestration System Requirements . 57
5.2.2.1 General applicability . 57
5.2.2.2 Authentication . 57
5.2.2.3 Authorization . 57
5.2.2.4 Secure Configuration . 58
5.2.2.5 Communication Security . 58
5.2.2.6 Integrity Protection. 59
5.2.2.7 Logging . 59
5.2.2.8 Secure Update . 60
5.2.2.9 Decommissioning and Secure Transfer . 61
5.3 CES Security Requirements . 61
5.3.1 CRS Requirements . 61
5.3.1.1 Isolation . 61
5.3.1.1.1 Container Isolation . 61
5.3.1.1.2 Control Plane Isolation . 62
5.3.1.1.3 Network Plane Isolation . 62
5.3.1.2 Integrity Protection. 63
5.3.1.2.1 Boot integrity verification . 63
5.3.1.2.2 Container image integrity verification . 64
5.3.1.2.3 Runtime integrity protection . 65
5.3.1.2.4 Remote attestation . 65
5.3.1.3 Authentication . 66
5.3.1.3.1 General . 66
5.3.1.3.2 Administrative Authentication . 67
5.3.1.3.3 Service Authentication . 67
5.3.1.4 Authorization . 68
5.3.1.4.1 General . 68
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5.3.1.4.2 Administrative Authorization . 68
5.3.1.4.3 Service Authorization . 69
5.3.1.5 Confidentiality Protection . 69
5.3.1.6 Availability and Resilience . 70
5.3.1.7 Logging . 71
5.3.1.8 Secure Update . 72
5.3.1.9 Secure Configuration and Default . 73
5.3.1.10 Data Minimisation . 73
5.3.1.11 Decommissioning . 74
5.3.2 CE Requirements . 74
5.3.2.1 Isolation . 74
5.3.2.2 Integrity Protection. 74
5.3.2.3 Authentication . 75
5.3.2.4 Authorization . 75
5.3.2.5 Confidentiality . 76
5.3.2.6 Secure Update . 76
5.3.2.7 Decommissioning and secure data deletion . 77
5.3.3 CO Requirements . 78
5.3.3.1 Isolation . 78
5.3.3.2 Integrity Protection. 78
5.3.3.3 Authentication . 78
5.3.3.4 Authorization . 79
5.3.3.5 Confidentiality . 79
5.3.3.6 Secure Update . 80
5.3.3.7 Decommissioning and secure data deletion . 81
5.4 Assurance Security Requirements . 81
5.4.1 Vulnerability Management . 81
5.4.2 Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) . 82
6 Assessment criteria for compliance with technical requirements . 83
6.1 Assessment Methodology . 83
6.1.1 General Assessment Procedure . 83
6.1.2 Technology-neutral Assessment . 84
6.1.2.1 General . 84
6.1.2.2 Equivalence of Hardware-based and Software-based Approaches . 85
6.1.2.3 Technology-neutral Assessment Principles . 86
6.1.3 Assessment of RDPS requirements . 87
6.2 Assessment Report Requirements . 87
6.2.1 Mandatory Report Contents . 87
6.2.2 Traceability Requirements . 89
6.2.3 Evidence Package . 89
6.3 VES . 90
6.3.1 Hypervisor . 90
6.3.1.1 Assessment for VM Isolation . 90
6.3.1.1.1 Assessment Case AC-H-VM-ISO-001 . 90
6.3.1.1.2 Assessment Case AC-H-VM-ISO-002 . 91
6.3.1.1.3 Assessment Case AC-H-VM-ISO-003 . 92
6.3.1.1.4 Assessment Case AC-H-VM-ISO-004 . 94
6.3.1.2 Assessment for Control Plane Isolation . 95
6.3.1.2.1 Assessment Case AC-H-CP-ISO-001 . 95
6.3.1.2.2 Assessment Case AC-H-CP-ISO-002 . 96
6.3.1.2.3 Assessment Case AC-H-CP-ISO-003 . 97
6.3.1.3 Assessment for Network Plane Separation . 99
6.3.1.3.1 Assessment Case AC-H-NP-ISO-001 . 99
6.3.1.3.2 Assessment Case AC-H-NP-ISO-002 . 100
6.3.1.3.3 Assessment Case AC-H-NP-ISO-003 . 101
6.3.1.4 Assessment for Boot Integrity Verification . 102
6.3.1.4.1 Assessment Case AC-H-B-INT-002. 102
6.3.1.5 Assessment for Guest VM Image Integrity Verification . 104
6.3.1.5.1 Assessment Case AC-H-IMG-INT-001 . 104
6.3.1.5.2 Assessment Case AC-H-IMG-INT-002 . 105
6.3.1.5.3 Assessment Case AC-H-IMG-INT-003 . 107
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6.3.1.6 Assessment for Runtime Integrity Protection . 108
6.3.1.6.1 Assessment Case AC-H-RP-INT-002 . 108
6.3.1.7 Assessment for Remote Attestation . 109
6.3.1.7.1 Assessment Case AC-H-RA-INT-003 . 109
6.3.1.7.2 Assessment Case AC-H-RA-INT-004 . 111
6.3.1.8 Assessment for Administrative Authentication . 113
6.3.1.8.1 Assessment Case AC-H-ADMIN-AUTH-001 . 113
6.3.1.8.2 Assessment Case AC-H-ADMIN-AUTH-002 . 114
6.3.1.8.3 Assessment Case AC-H-ADMIN-AUTH-003 . 115
6.3.1.9 Assessment for Service Authenticatio n . 116
6.3.1.9.1 Assessment Case AC-H-SERV-AUTH-001 . 116
6.3.1.9.2 Assessment Case AC-H-SERV-AUTH-002 . 117
6.3.1.9.3 Assessment Case AC-H-SERV-AUTH-003 . 118
6.3.1.10 Assessment for Administrative Authorization . 119
6.3.1.10.1 Assessment Case AC-H-ADMIN-AUTHZ-001 . 119
6.3.1.10.2 Assessment Case AC-H-ADMIN-AUTHZ-002 . 120
6.3.1.10.3 Assessment Case AC-H-ADMIN-AUTHZ-003 . 121
6.3.1.11 Assessment for Service Authorization . 122
6.3.1.11.1 Assessment Case AC-H-SERV-AUTHZ-001 . 122
6.3.1.11.2 Assessment Case AC-H-SERV-AUTHZ-002 . 123
6.3.1.11.3 Assessment Case AC-H-SERV-AUTHZ-003 . 124
6.3.1.12 Assessment for Confidentiality Protection . 125
6.3.1.12.1 Assessment Case AC-H-CONF-001. 125
6.3.1.12.2 Assessment Case AC-H-CONF-002. 126
6.3.1.12.3 Assessment Case AC-H-CONF-003. 128
6.3.1.12.4 Assessment Case AC-H-CONF-004. 129
6.3.1.13 Assessment for Availability and Resilience . 130
6.3.1.13.1 Assessment Case AC-H-AVAIL-001 . 130
6.3.1.13.2 Assessment Case AC-H-AVAIL-002 . 131
6.3.1.13.3 Assessment Case AC-H-AVAIL-003 . 132
6.3.1.14 Assessment for Logging . 134
6.3.1.14.1 Assessment Case AC-H-LOG-001 . 134
6.3.1.14.2 Assessment Case AC-H-LOG-002 . 134
6.3.1.14.3 Assessment Case AC-H-LOG-003 . 135
6.3.1.15 Assessment for Secure Update . 137
6.3.1.15.1 Assessment Case AC-H-UPD-001 . 137
6.3.1.15.2 Assessment Case AC-H-UPD-002 . 139
6.3.1.15.3 Assessment Case AC-H-UPD-003 . 140
6.3.1.16 Assessment for Secure Configuration and Default . 142
6.3.1.16.1 Assessment Case AC-H-CFG-001 . 142
6.3.1.16.2 Assessment Case AC-H-CFG-002 . 143
6.3.1.16.3 Assessment Case AC-H-CFG-003 . 144
6.3.1.17 Assessment for Data Minimisation . 145
6.3.1.17.1 Assessment Case AC-H-DM-001 . 145
6.3.1.17.2 Assessment Case AC-H-DM-002 . 146
6.3.1.18 Assessment for Decommissioning . 147
6.3.1.18.1 Assessment Case AC-H-DECOM-001 . 147
6.3.2 M&O System . 148
6.3.2.1 Assessment for Authentication. 148
6.3.2.1.1 Assessment Case AC-M&O-AUTH-001 . 148
6.3.2.1.2 Assessment Case AC-M&O-AUTH-002 . 149
6.3.2.1.3 Assessment Case AC-M&O-AUTH-003 . 150
6.3.2.2 Assessment for Authorization . 151
6.3.2.2.1 Assessment Case AC-M&O-AUTHZ-001 . 151
6.3.2.2.2 Assessment Case AC-M&O-AUTHZ-002 . 152
6.3.2.2.3 Assessment Case AC-M&O-AUTHZ-003 . 153
6.3.2.3 Assessment for Secure Configuration . 154
6.3.2.3.1 Assessment Case AC-M&O-CFG-001 . 154
6.3.2.3.2 Assessment Case AC-M&O-CFG-002 . 155
6.3.2.3.3 Assessment Case AC-M&O-CFG-003 . 155
6.3.2.4 Assessment for Communication Security . 156
6.3.2.4.1 Assessment Case AC-M&O-COM-001 . 156
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6.3.2.4.2 Assessment Case AC-M&O-COM-002 . 157
6.3.2.4.3 Assessment Case AC-M&O-COM-003 . 158
6.3.2.5 Assessment for Integrity Protection . 159
6.3.2.5.1 Assessment Case AC-M&O-INT-001 . 159
6.3.2.5.2 Assessment Case AC-M&O-INT-002 . 160
6.3.2.5.3 Assessment Case AC-M&O-INT-003 . 161
6.3.2.6 Assessment for Logging . 162
6.3.2.6.1 Assessment Case AC-M&O-LOG-001 . 162
6.3.2.6.2 Assessment Case AC-M&O-LOG-002 . 162
6.3.2.6.3 Assessment Case AC-M&O-LOG-003 . 163
6.3.2.7 Assessment for Secure Update . 164
6.3.2.7.1 Assessment Case AC-M&O-UPD-001 . 164
6.3.2.7.2 Assessment Case AC-M&O-UPD-002 . 166
6.3.2.7.3 Assessment Case AC-M&O-UPD-003 . 168
6.3.2.8 Assessment for Decommissioning and Secure Transfer . 169
6.3.2.8.1 Assessment Case AC-M&O-DECOM-001 . 169
6.3.2.8.2 Assessment Case AC-M&O-DECOM-002 . 170
6.4 CES . 171
6.4.1 CRS . 171
6.4.1.1 Assessment for Container Isolation . 171
6.4.1.1.1 Assessment Case AC-CRS-CN-ISO-001 . 171
6.4.1.1.2 Assessment Case AC-CRS-CN-ISO-002 . 172
6.4.1.1.3 Assessment Case AC-CRS-CN-ISO-003 . 174
6.4.1.2 Assessment for Control Plane Isolation . 175
6.4.1.2.1 Assessment Case AC-CRS-CP-ISO-001 . 175
6.4.1.2.2 Assessment Case AC-CRS-CP-ISO-002 . 176
6.4.1.2.3 Assessment Case AC-CRS-CP-ISO-003 . 177
6.4.1.3 Assessment for Network Plane Isolation . 179
6.4.1.3.1 Assessment Case AC-CRS-NP-ISO-001 . 179
6.4.1.3.2 Assessment Case AC-CRS-NP-ISO-002 . 180
6.4.1.3.3 Assessment Case AC-CRS-NP-ISO-003 . 181
6.4.1.4 Assessment for Boot Integrity Verification . 183
6.4.1.4.1 Assessment Case AC-CRS-B-INT-002 . 183
6.4.1.5 Assessment for Container Image Integrity Verification . 185
6.4.1.5.1 Assessment Case AC-CRS-IMG-INT-001 . 185
6.4.1.5.2
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