Accessibility of ICT products and services

Cybersecurity standards have traditionally focused on the operation of the hardware, software and firmware of the systems. The needs of the human elements have often not been fully considered and negative viewpoints are sometimes heard in cybersecurity standards meeting with respect to untrained and/or vulnerable consumers/end users. By considering and supporting the `human element’ in products with digital elements (an essential element), it is hoped to reduce the potential for harm to the system and also to reduce the harm to the end user. In particular improved communication should reduce the physiological harm caused to the end user when something goes wrong and they think it is their fault. Cybersecurity standards for digital systems can thus be seen to support vulnerable users and to acknowledge that all end users can be vulnerable in specific circumstances

My work supports ICT accessibility and digital skills. It did this by promoting the requirements of end users when these people were acting as part of a system involving the use of products with digital elements. These end users will include vulnerable end users. In these systems the end users will be involved in a range of set up and management activities with respect to the digital elements including choosing the products and their application, selecting and maintaining levels of Cybersecurity and making decisions on when the product has reached its end of life.
Products with digital elements include health monitoring and quality of life products which can improve the life and health of the end user, if they fail or become unsafe, they may impact the physical, sensory or cognitive health of the end user. If their operation becomes uncertain, they may cause stress, which impacts the cognitive health of the end user.
By supporting the end users to make sensible decisions when selecting or maintaining a product with digital elements, the followers of the relevant CRA standard will increase the digital skills of the end users. This can be achieved by enabling standards writers to create standards which consider the needs of all end users. The aim of this project was to assist the standard writers to do this.

Cybersecurity is elementary for every digital asset and very important also for AI-Systems as a digital asset to be secure, safe, healthy and respecting fundamental rights.

The proposed activity aims to answer the official EU standardization request for the EU AI Act and specifically No. 8 Cybersecurity. Thrustworthy Metaverse solutions are based on trustworthy AI solutions. Trust and cybersecurity of AI and Metaverse can be ensured with well developed standards from cybersecurity and AI experts with business background. In case of the European Union harmonized standards as presumption of conformity to the EU Regulation are requested, in this case the request is for the AI Act and CRA as an essential fundament for a trustworthy and secure web 4.0 with virtual world and Metaverse with the specific EU focus on safety, fundamental rights, health and data protection.

The AI Act has the goal to avoid or mitigate negative impact on people and society regarding Fundamental Rights, Health and Safety. All harmonized standards for the AI Act support this goal and request of the AI Act including the standard for Cybersecurity specifications for AI Systems.