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Recent labels proposed by the U.S. government could soon help consumers select smart appliances and fitness trackers that it considers relatively secure from cyberattacks, the Biden administration announced on Tuesday.
Web-connected devices like fridges, TVs, microwaves and climate controls could bear the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark shield in the event that they meet cybersecurity requirements laid out by the federal government. The administration expects the voluntary-labeling program to be in effect next 12 months after the Federal Communications Commission seeks public comment on the proposal.
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Up to now, Amazon, Best Buy, Google, LG Electronics U.S.A., Logitech and Samsung are amongst the businesses which have committed to increasing cybersecurity of the products they sell as a part of the announcement, the federal government said.
To receive the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, corporations could have to follow cybersecurity standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), equivalent to requiring strong passwords and software updates.
The FCC will apply Tuesday to register a national trademark for the label, which could be applied to products that meet the standards. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is anticipated to assist educate consumers concerning the recent label, once approved, and encourage retailers to prioritize products that carry it.
Other agencies across the chief branch also plan to become involved in making connected devices safer, in response to the announcement. For instance, the Department of Energy will collaborate with National Labs and industry to create cybersecurity labeling standards for smart meters and power inverters. And the Department of State plans to have interaction allies in syncing up cybersecurity labeling standards and creating international recognition of such labels.
NIST can even take up an initiative to create cybersecurity requirements for consumer routers by the top of 2023, which the administration called “a higher-risk kind of product that, if compromised, may be used to eavesdrop, steal passwords, and attack other devices and high value networks.” Once accomplished, the FCC could select to make use of the standards to use the brand new label to those products as well.
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