Customers will need more than installation. They will need help with update management, vulnerability awareness, secure configuration, documentation and operational support. Not every project will need the same level of cybersecurity, but every project will need a conscious decision.
Make your choices explicit
Put them in the contract, in the architecture and in the documentation. If a product is selected for a certain environment, say why. If updates are part of the service, say who performs them. If updates are excluded, say what the consequence is.
Designers also need new practical skills. They do not need to become cybersecurity engineers. But they need to understand architecture, lifecycle, risk assessment, support periods, update mechanisms, access concepts and the difference between a simple product feature and a maintainable system.
The FIN Connect 2026 material summarized this as five skills:
- Understanding architecture
- Reading a cyber offer
- Thinking in terms of risk assessment
- Understanding lifecycle
- Orchestrating actors.
This is the opportunity.
The system integrator who can orchestrate cybersecurity responsibilities becomes more valuable. The designer who can specify lifecycle-aware systems becomes more relevant. The manufacturer who provides clear product information becomes easier to integrate. The CRA will make product compliance visible. The market will decide who can turn that compliance into secure buildings.