Radio Frequency Testing

After understanding the JC-STAR hierarchy, the next key question is: Is my product within the scope of certification? This is the primary issue that all manufacturers must clarify before starting certification. Wrong judgment may lead to all the initial investment in vain. This article will help you quickly lock in answers through clear boundary definitions and self-test tools to ensure that your path to certification is in the right direction from the beginning.

1. Scoping: What kind of products require JC-STAR certification?

According to the official definition, the core of JC-STAR's certification scope is Internet of Things products, which consists of the following two parts:

(1) Internet of Things Devices

Refers to devices that have IP communication capabilities and are difficult for users to easily enhance their security by installing software. It mainly includes two categories:

Devices that can directly connect to the Internet: such as smart cameras, routers, smart TVs, etc.

Devices that can be connected to the internal network: such as smart home central control, industrial sensors, network printers, etc. They indirectly exchange data with the Internet through gateways and other devices.

(2) Necessary associated services

Refers to the digital services that IoT devices must rely on in order to achieve their intended functions. For example:

Voice assistant cloud services required by smart speakers

Mobile APP and video cloud storage services required by webcams

Remote control platform required by smart home appliances

Core concept: Only when "devices" are combined with "services" to achieve full functionality are they included in the scope of certification as a whole-"IoT products". 

2. Explicit exclusion: Which products are not within the scope of certification?

To avoid confusion, the official JC-STAR documents explicitly exclude the following product types:

General IT devices: such as personal computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. The characteristic of this kind of products is that users have a high degree of autonomy, and can install and configure various security software (such as anti-virus software and firewall) by themselves to enhance their security.

Please note: Even if a product is equipped with a general operating system (such as Linux), if its functions are highly customized, users cannot easily install security software or modify the core security configuration for it, it may still be classified into the scope of certification. The key to judgment lies in "whether users can enhance their security independently and conveniently".

3. Quick self-examination: Three steps to lock whether your product meets the requirements

Please follow these three steps to make a preliminary judgment on your product:

Step 1: Check network connectivity capabilities

Does your product use IP protocol for data transmission?

Yes → go to step 2

No → Your product is likely out of scope

Step 2: Check user security control permissions

Can your users conveniently install third-party security software themselves to protect the product?

Can't → enter step 3

Can → Your product is likely to be an excluded general IT device

Step 3: Check service dependencies

Does your product need to rely on cloud services or mobile apps to achieve its main functions?

Yes → Your product is most likely within certification

No → Your product is an independent device and needs to be comprehensively judged based on its network capabilities

4. Core value: Why must we clarify the scope of certification?

Making accurate scope judgment is not only a regulatory requirement, but also has direct commercial value:

Avoid resource misallocation: Prevent investing budget and effort into products that do not require certification.

Seize market opportunities: ensure that products that need certification can be certified in time, and do not miss the procurement window period.

Plan product strategy: For enterprises with huge product lines, batch-by-batch and focused certification strategies can be formulated accordingly.