Embedded Linux Security Management for Manufacturers
Supporting your custom device – even if it’s not a Digi SoM
DR 2026 and CRA 2027 mandate continuous security updates for connected manufacturing devices.
ByteSnap Design’s Premium Software Security Service delivers targeted Linux patches, monthly reports, and hands-on UK integration support – so your engineering team can focus on innovation, not maintenance
The security challenge facing manufacturers
Connected manufacturing devices running embedded Linux face mounting cybersecurity threats. With 102 new Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) published daily in 2025, keeping deployed devices secure demands constant vigilance.
The Medical Device Regulation (MDR) 2026 and Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) 2027 now require manufacturers to provide continuous security updates throughout product lifecycles. Non-compliance means market access blocked, regulatory fines, and reputational damage.
Most engineering teams are already stretched thin. Annual costs to manage Linux security patches in-house can quickly run to £25,000+ per product line in engineering time alone.
That’s before counting breach risk, tooling costs, and compliance overhead.
How ByteSnap Design's Premium Software Security Service Works
Our service combines Digi‘s vulnerability intelligence with ByteSnap’s embedded Linux expertise to deliver three critical outcomes:
1: Assess
Your Devices
Your device's operating system, Software Bill of Materials (SBOM), and deployment environment are analysed to identify vulnerabilities unique to your exact configuration. Unlike generic CVE notifications that create noise, we filter alerts to show only threats affecting your specific Linux distribution, kernel version, and application stack.
2: Protect
With Targeted Patches
ByteSnap engineers apply, test, and integrate security patches tailored to your hardware, whether you use Digi ConnectCore system-on-modules, NXP i.MX platforms, or custom embedded Linux builds. We test patches in environments that mirror your production systems, ensuring updates work in real-world conditions without breaking existing functionality.
3: Stay Compliant
With Monthly Reports
Receive detailed security status reports documenting: all applied patches, remaining vulnerabilities, and risk assessments.These audit-ready reportssatisfy MDR post-market surveillance requirements, IEC 62443 industrial cybersecurity standards, and CRA compliance obligations.
Why ByteSnap Design and Digi is different for embedded Linux security management
Other services send CVE notifications and leave you to figure out integration. ByteSnap Design provides robust, hands-on support from UK-based embedded Linux engineers who understand manufacturing workflows and regulatory requirements.
While leveraging Digi security intelligence this service supports NXP and ST application processors – such as i.MX8, i.MX9, and ST’s MP1 and MP2 chip solutions.
Yocto then leverage a security layer that is applied to the kernel and packages beneath. The version of your target kernel needs to match that which is supported by Digi security services; this will typically be the latest LTS kernel.
Talk to our experts to confirm compatibility.
If your current platform cannot support security updates, we can help migrate to a supportable Linux distribution. This future-proofs your devices for the 10-15 year lifecycles typical in manufacturing.
Get in touch to discover how we can move you onto a secure version of Linux
We can handle vulnerability monitoring, patch testing, and integration validation.
Your engineering team receives only actionable reports requiring their domain expertise – not administrative firefighting – reducing overhead and optimising engineering time.
Who Benefits from this Premium Security Software Service?
The Premium Security Software Service is designed for manufacturers who:
- Operate critical systems running embedded Linux
- Face MDR 2026, CRA 2027, or IEC 62443 compliance deadlines
- Have engineering teams focused on product development, not patch management
- Need audit-ready documentation for regulators or customersTypical customers include medical device manufacturers meeting MDR requirements, industrial automation companies addressing IEC 62443 standards, and IoT product developers preparing for CRA implementation.
Stop Managing Vulnerabilities, Make More Time for Innovation
Premium Software Security Service FAQs
What are MDR 2026 cybersecurity requirements?
The Medical Device Regulation (MDR) 2026 requires manufacturers of connected medical devices to implement continuous security update mechanisms, conduct post-market surveillance for vulnerabilities, and maintain Software Bills of Materials (SBOM). Devices must receive security patches throughout their lifecycle to maintain CE marking and market access in the EU and UK.
Can this service work if we don't use Digi hardware?
Absolutely. Until recently, you had to be on a Digi platform, but now they've opened this up to anyone who is on a compatible kernel. The steps are to get the device onto an LTS kernel supported by Digi, and then from there we can patch the Digi meta layer on top of that. There are a number of different LTS branches which run in parallel and overlap a little bit, so you might be on the wrong one or on an outdated one which needs to progress forward. ByteSnap Design can help get devices onto a supported configuration and it's not too much of an onerous process.
At the moment, because most of the Digi products are on NXP or ST parts, that's what ByteSnap Design focuses on. So, if it's i.MX 8, i.MX 9, or one of the MP1 or MP2 platforms.
We support Yocto LTS kernel.
What if our Linux platform is too old to support patches?
If your current operating system has reached end-of-life or cannot receive security updates, ByteSnap Design helps migrate to a supported Linux distribution. We assess your application dependencies, hardware constraints, and regulatory requirements to recommend the best migration path, minimising disruption to your product roadmap.
How does this differ from Timesys or Red Hat support contracts?
Timesys provides CVE monitoring and notifications, but limited integration support, primarily serving US customers. Red Hat focuses on server infrastructure, rather than embedded manufacturing devices. ByteSnap Design offers UK-local embedded Linux engineers who test and integrate patches specifically for your device configuration, not generic server environments.
What's included in monthly security reports?
Reports document all identified vulnerabilities, applied patches, remaining exposure, and risk assessments. The monthly security reports help regulatory audit requirements.
Does the Premium Software Security Service support any Linux kernel, or is it limited to specific versions?
No, it's set to a specific number of LTS kernels, so you have to port over to a supported kernel. The days when you can release your software and not update are over now. Although it may be cumbersome, OEMs need to plan to update their systems. Otherwise, you won’t be able to stay secure.
How often does the CVE report get updated?
It can be both: monthly or as-needed. ByteSnap Design are set up to provide automated monthly reports.
How does ByteSnap Design’s Premium Software Security Service differ from the free tools available?
The difference, compared to open-source scanners, comes down to time and resources: the volume of information you will receive and amount of time spent sifting through it.
All the work our end is in database intelligence on the CVEs: what matters, what doesn't matter, what's already patched, what's applied for that configuration. We have security engineers working on this continuously.
If you use some of the free tools, you get hundreds if not thousands of CVEs in your reports and it's not really workable. You'd need a security engineer to crawl through the document and spend a lot of time looking at every CVE to determine if it really matters. With ByteSnap Design, that work is done on our side and can be leveraged by OEMs across all their products.
You also get pre-integrated patches to save time as well. It's really beneficial and you save a lot of resources with a Premium Software Security Service like this.
How important are the updating cycles?
Medical devices are an obvious place where it's important to make sure that security is there. But in so many different devices these days, your reputation as a company is still so important. If you're releasing things which have issues and back doors in them, you can ruin your reputation overnight, by releasing something that can be hacked.
Having a monthly report enables you to look at the difference between what was a problem last month and what's a problem this month. That way, you can make a decision about whether you're doing a quarterly update, or whether you need to do an emergency release to patch something out.
How does ByteSnap Design’s Premium Software Security Service help specifically with CRA (Cyber Resilience Act) compliance?
The difference, compared to open-source scanners, comes down to time, resources and risk: the volume of information you will receive and amount of time spent sifting through it.
All the work our end is in database intelligence on the CVEs: what matters, what doesn't matter, what's already patched, what's applied for that configuration. We have security engineers working on this continuously.
If you use some of the free tools, you get hundreds if not thousands of CVEs in your reports and it's not really workable. You'd need a security engineer to crawl through the document and spend a lot of time looking at every CVE to determine if it really matters. With ByteSnap Design, that work is done on our side and can be leveraged by OEMs across all their products.
You also get pre-integrated patches to save time and risk. It's really beneficial and you save a lot of resources with a Premium Software Security Service like this.
What ultimate benefit does ByteSnap Design’s Premium Software Security Service provide for companies concerned about Linux security?
Ultimately, stakeholders have peace of mind.
So many businesses are concerned with: 'How do I make sure that my Linux system is secure?'. They might have been from a Windows environment where Windows provides patches and updates and all of that is just taken care of by Microsoft. Even in embedded Windows from many years ago, you'd get these QFE patches: a set of patches you apply to a kernel, securing it.
ByteSnap Design’s Premium Software Security Service frees up internal resources for companies, keeping them in control of their BOM.