Cybersecurity Trust Mark Coming for Networked Smart Devices

The U.S. government has launched a new labeling program for wireless, interconnected smart products that could help consumers make more informed decisions about the cybersecurity of products, ranging from baby monitors to security systems. 

The new system, launched after a public notice and input over the last 18 months, is called the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark and is being administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Through the certification process, major electronics, appliance and consumer product manufacturers, as well as retailers and trade associations, could test products against established cybersecurity criteria from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology via compliance testing by accredited labs. 

If they pass, products could be trademarked with a distinct Cyber Trust Mark shield logo. 

The FCC last year announced the conditional approval of 11 companies as cybersecurity label administrators and the conditional selection of UL Solutions as the lead administrator.    

The new labeling aims to address concerns about the rise of criminals remotely hacking into home security systems to unlock doors, or malicious attackers tapping into unsecured home cameras to illicitly record conversations. 

The issue of cybersecurity in-home devices was highlighted last year when thousands of Wyze security camera customers could see in their company app photos and video footage from inside other people’s homes due to a caching problem from a third-party partner. 

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The White House said it launched the effort to educate American consumers and give them an easy way to assess the cybersecurity of products, as well as incentivize companies to produce more cybersecure devices. This is much like EnergyStar labels did for energy efficiency, it added. 

Technology manufacturers have supported the new certification. 

Michael Dolan, senior director, head of enterprise privacy and data protection at Best Buy, said he sees great potential in the certification system. 

“It is a positive step forward for consumers and we are excited about the opportunity to highlight this program for our customers,” he said. 

Justin Brookman, director of technology policy at Consumer Reports, said the system will inform consumers whether a company plans to stand behind the product with software updates and for how long.

“While voluntary, Consumer Reports hopes that manufacturers will apply for this mark, and that consumers will look for it when it becomes available,” he said. 

The government added that the label incentivizes companies to build products securely, against established security standards, while giving consumers an added measure of assurance that their smart device is cybersafe. 

Companies would soon be able to submit their products for testing to earn the label, with companies such as Best Buy and Amazon set to highlight labeled products.