Before purchasing a new refrigerator, consumers can look for the Energy Star label to understand how efficiently it uses energy. Before purchasing food at the grocery store, consumers can look for the USDA Organic label to understand how it was produced. But before purchasing an internet-connected camera, baby monitor or door lock that we put in some of our most private spaces, consumers have no comparably simple way to know whether that device was designed to keep hackers out.
The Federal Communications Commission is working to change that with the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark program.
This voluntary cybersecurity labeling program is intended to make security easier to understand by helping consumers quickly identify internet-connected products that meet established cybersecurity requirements. Some of these requirements include making sure the product protects consumer data, limits access to authorized users and securely updates software. Qualifying devices will also provide consumers with clear information about manufacturer support so that consumers do not need to become cybersecurity experts to protect themselves.
WHAT A SMART FIREWALL DOES AND WHY IT MATTERS ON HOME WI-FI
Products that meet the Cyber Trust Mark requirements will ultimately display a label with a distinctive shield that quickly lets Americans know the connected product theyre bringing into their homes meets certain baseline cybersecurity requirements. The shield will be accompanied by a QR code that consumers can scan to find accessible and up-to-date information about the products security. A buyer can learn, for example, how to change a factory-set password, where to find security updates and how long the manufacturer has committed to supporting the product.
The FCC is working to roll out the Cyber Trust Mark program to a retailer near you by next year.
FBI SAYS RUSSIAN HACKERS HIJACKED OLD WI-FI ROUTERS
The commissions efforts have taken on new urgency as cyberattacks increase and American homes become more connected. On average, there are approximately 20 to 25 connected devices in a typical U.S. household, and close to 1 million Internet-of-Things-related cyberattacks per day.
To meet the commissions 2027 implementation timeline, the ioXt Alliance, an organization with extensive security experience, was selected earlier this year as the lead administrator to manage the daily operations of the program. And in the coming months, the FCC will seek public comment on the design and use of the label, technical standards and testing procedures to determine product eligibility, and post-market surveillance rules to preserve the integrity of the Cyber Trust Mark label throughout the life of a qualifying product.
APPLE WANTS TO MOVE INTO YOUR HOME. SHOULD YOU LET IT?
As the FCC moves forward on each of these program elements, we welcome feedback from manufacturers, retailers, cybersecurity researchers, consumer advocates and other interested parties to make sure we get the details right. Because
