The White House announced the launch of the US Cyber Trust Mark which aims to help buyers make an informed choice about the purchase of wireless internet-connected devices, such as baby monitors, doorbells, thermostats, and more.
The cybersecurity labeling program for wireless consumer Internet of Things (IoT) products is voluntary but the participants include several major manufacturers, retailers, and trade associations for popular electronics, appliances, and consumer products. The companies and groups said they are committed to increase cybersecurity for the products they sell.
Justin Brookman, director of technology policy at the consumer watchdog organization Consumer Reports, lauded the government effort and the companies that have already pledged their participation.
“Consumer Reports is eager to see this program deliver a meaningful U.S. Cyber Trust Mark that lets consumers know their connected devices meet fundamental cybersecurity standards,” Brookman said in a news release. “The mark will also inform consumers whether or not a company plans to stand behind the product with software updates and for how long.”
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed and created the labelling program and hopes it will raise the bar for cybersecurity across common devices, including smart refrigerators, smart microwaves, smart televisions, smart climate control systems, smart fitness trackers, and more.
The idea is that the Cyber Trust Mark logo will be accompanied by a QR code that consumers can scan for easy-to-understand details about the security of the product, such as the support period for the product and whether software patches and security updates are automatic.
The program is challenging because of the wide variety of consumer IoT products on the market that communicate over wireless networks. These products are built on different technologies, each with their own security pitfalls, so it will be hard to compare them, but at least the consumer will be able to find some basic—but important—information.
Even though participation is voluntary, manufacturers will be incentivized to make their smart devices more secure to keep the business of consumers who will choose products that only have the Cyber Trust Mark.
As we explained recently, the “Internet of Things” is the now-accepted term to describe countless home products that connect to the internet so that they can be controlled and monitored from a mobile app or from a web browser on your computer. The benefits are obvious for shoppers. Thermostats can be turned off during vacation, home doorbells can be answered while at work, and gaming consoles can download videogames as children sleep.”
And in 2024 we saw several mishaps ranging from privacy risks to downright unacceptable abuse. So, if we can avoid these incidents from happening again, then it surely is worth the trouble.
The testing of whether a product deserves the Cyber Trust Mark will be done by accredited labs and against established cybersecurity criteria from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
The Cyber Trust Mark has been under constructions for quite a while was approved in a bipartisan unanimous vote last March, but we can expect the first logos to show up this year. And Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber, revealed that there are plans to release another executive order saying that, beginning in 2027, the Federal government will only buy devices that have the Cyber Trust Mark label on them.
For now, the program does not apply to personal computers, smartphones, and routers.
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