Is your smart device safe from hackers? New FCC program will label cybersecure technology

Consumers who purchase a refrigerator or clothes dryer with the Energy Star logo on it know the product is energy efficient; the logo indicates the appliance has undergone a certification process overseen by the US Environmental Protection Agency. It's that level of trust that the FCC hopes to gain with the US Cyber Trust Mark. — Unsplash

Everyday household items, including your remote thermostat and your baby monitor, may make you vulnerable to cyberhackers. But a new US federal programme hopes to identify and label which Internet-connected products are taking extra measures to protect your online information.

Any device that can be accessed remotely and transfers information through the Internet is vulnerable to a hacker, said Tracy Mitrano, visiting professor of information science at Cornell University.