Department for Energy Security & Net Zero – Consultation on changes to the SEC relating to the Commercial Product Assurance (CPA) scheme

On 26 February 2024 the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero issued a consultation on proposed changes to individual SEC Sections and Appendices. The changes aim to establish:

1. new arrangements for device security assurance (known as CPA) following the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) decision to withdraw its CPA scheme for Smart Metering,
2. transitional measures to support a smooth transition to the new arrangements, and
3. measures to provide for device manufacturers to become SEC parties for the purpose of becoming subscribers of IKI certificates to provide for device manufacturers to become SEC parties.

The consultation covers topics, including:

• Responsibility for the CPA scheme ownership and operation,
• Relationship between SSC, the new CPA scheme operator, CPA Test Labs, and NCSC, and
• Commercial relationship CPA scheme operator, CPA Test Labs, and smart metering device manufacturers.

The consultation letter and the attachments that show the proposed changes in more detail can be downloaded here.

Comments on these proposals should be submitted by 5pm on 8 April 2024 to: smartmetering@energysecurity@gov.uk