The White House said it would start with some of the most common, and often most at-risk, technologies such as Internet routers and home cameras. — Image by macrovector on Freepik
The White House is planning to introduce a labelling system to signal the level of security in the growing number of devices connected to the Internet, according to a senior administration official.
Consumers would be able to scan barcode attached to product packaging with their phones to access information such as the level of support from manufacturers and the device’s history of receiving software updates, an important function of data security, the official said.
The system would be comparable to the green Energy Star logos used to signal energy efficiency, with the same level of support and testing implicit in the standards.
While there is recognition that there are different levels of risk between various devices, the intention, at least initially, is to keep the system simple to encourage consumer adoption. Companies will participate on a voluntary basis, according to the White House. The effort will launch on a more formal basis in early 2023, according to the official.
The White House said it would start with some of the most common, and often most at-risk, technologies such as Internet routers and home cameras.
The so-called Internet of Things is a broad category of devices used to refer to everything from smart speakers to WiFi connected light-switches. They are often hijacked by hackers, who deploy those devices’ connections as part of distributed denial-of-service attacks. – Bloomberg
