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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 19 July 2023

Cybersecurity labeling for smart devices aims to help people

choose those less vulnerable to hacking

WASHINGTON (AP) — The ment company NetGear,
Biden administration and based on their monitoring
major consumer technol- of smart homes, found that
ogy players on Tuesday the most vulnerable de-
launched an effort to put a vices in 2022 were, far and
nationwide cybersecurity away, smart TVs, followed
certification and labeling by smart plugs, routers and
program in place to help digital video recorders.
consumers choose smart Providers of numerous
devices that are less vul- smart home devices often
nerable to hacking. don’t update and patch
Officials likened the new software fast enough to
U.S. Cyber Trust Mark initia- thwart newly emerging
tive to be overseen by the malware threats. The Cy-
Federal Communications ber Mark standards are
Commission, with industry expected to make clear
participation voluntary to which devices patch vul-
the Energy Star program, nerable software in a time-
which rates appliances’ ly fashion and secure their
energy efficiency. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre talks about a cybersecurity certification and communications to pre-
“It will allow Americans to labeling program during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 18, serve privacy, officials
confidently identify which 2023. Associated Press said. q
internet- and Bluetooth-
connected devices are dustry’s annual January
cybersecure,” deputy na- show, CES 2024, once the
tional security adviser Anne FCC adopts final rules. A
Neuberger told reporters senior Biden administra-
in a pre-announcement tion official said it was ex-
briefing. pected that products that
Amazon, Best Buy, Google, qualify for the logo would
LG Electronics USA, Logi- undergo an annual re-
tech and Samsung are certification. The director
among industry partici- of technology policy at
pants. Consumer Reports, Justin
Devices including baby Brookman, welcomed the
monitors, home security White House proposal but
cameras, fitness trackers, cautioned in a statement
TVs, refrigerators and smart that “a long road remains”
climate control systems to its effective adoption.
that meet the U.S. gov- “Our hope is that this la-
ernment’s cybersecurity bel will ignite a healthy
requirements will bear the sense of competition in
“Cyber Trust” label, a shield the marketplace, compel-
logo, as early as next year, ling manufacturers to safe-
officials said. guard both the security
FCC Chairwoman Jessica and privacy of consumers
Rosenworcel said the mark who use connected devic-
will give consumers “peace es and to commit to sup-
of mind” and benefit man- porting those devices for
ufacturers, whose products the lifetime of those prod-
would need to adhere to ucts.”
criteria set by the National The Cyber Trust initiative
Institute of Standards and was first announced in Oc-
Technology to qualify. tober following a meeting
The FCC was launching a between White House and
rule-making process to set tech industry representa-
the standards and seek tives.
public comment. Besides The proliferation of so-
carrying logos, participat- called smart devices has
ing devices would have coincided with growing
QR codes that could be cybercrime in which one
scanned for updated se- insecure device can of-
curity information. ten give a cyberintruder a
In a statement, the Con- dangerous foothold on a
sumer Technology Associa- home network.
tion said consumers could An April report from the cy-
expect to see certification- bersecurity firm Bitdefend-
ready products at the in- er and networking equip-