Consumers may soon be able to buy electronic products with a label indicating they are “cyber secure”, according to US officials.
The White House on Jan 7 announced the launch of a new US Cyber Trust Mark, indicating designated items follow best practices to avoid possible hacks.
Products with the cyber mark are expected on store shelves in 2025, said Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies. The program is similar to Energy Star, the US government-backed symbol denoting products that are energy efficient, she said.
The proliferation of wireless Internet-connected devices such as cameras and baby monitors have provided new opportunities for hackers, who have tapped into sensitive videos or installed malicious code to make them part of a botnet – an army of infected devices that can be used in attacks.
“We can buy a laptop computer in Paris, France, or Paris, Texas, and plug it into an outlet with the confidence that it won’t explode,” Neuberger said. “However, we lack similar standards for the cybersecurity of connected devices, and that’s led to a consumer market with billions of smart devices without adequate cybersecurity.”
The Federal Communications Commission sought public comment for the cybersecurity symbol in 2023 and adopted rules establishing a framework for the voluntary programme in March 2024. Eligible products include Internet-connected home security cameras, voice-activated shopping devices, smart appliances, fitness trackers, garage door openers and baby monitors, according to the FCC website.
A second stage of the programme is expected to provide the cyber symbol for routers, Neuberger said.
FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel highlighted the Cyber Trust Mark as one of her agency’s biggest accomplishments of last year, saying that it “will help consumers make informed purchasing decisions, differentiate trustworthy products in the marketplace, and create incentives for manufacturers to meet higher cybersecurity standards”. – Bloomberg
