The White House on Tuesday launched its long-awaited U.S. Cyber Trust Mark program, an effort designed to help consumers identify connected devices that meet minimum standards for security and privacy.
The voluntary labeling program will be run by the Federal Communications Commission and cover the vast universe of technology, ranging from baby monitors to smart speakers, that Americans now connect to their home wireless networks.
Anne Neuberger, the Biden administration’s deputy national security advisor for cybersecurity, said Americans have come to embrace this kind of technology, with the average home now containing more than 20 connected devices.
“These bring immense benefits, but each one of these devices presents a digital door that motivated cyberattackers are eager to enter,” Neuberger said on a call with reporters.
Tuesday’s announcement comes after more than 18 months of public notice and comment, along with a 5-0 vote by FCC commissioners earlier this year to authorize the program and its distinctive and trademarked shield logo. Last month, the FCC announced the appointment of 11 companies as label administrators, with UL Solutions conditionally selected as lead administrator.
To receive permission to use the Cyber Trust Mark seal on their packaging, companies will need to submit their products to the government for testing based on long-established cybersecurity criteria from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The final launch was in part timed to coincide with the CES confab in Las Vegas, an annual showcase of countless new tech devices, to raise awareness and encourage companies to submit their products for testing. Neuberger says consumers should start seeing labeled products on store shelves this year.
She noted that devices like home security systems and web cameras have been hacked in recent years, with photos and videos of the insides of peoples’ homes posted online.
“Collectively, we know Americans are afraid,” Neuberger said. “Consumers don’t have the confidence that they can use a connected device at home and know that their private pictures and communications will be secure.”
The program is designed to take on that problem in a bipartisan and voluntary way, she said, giving companies an incentive to make their products more secure.
The government is also partnering with major retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy, to educate consumers about the program so they’ll know to look for the Cyber Trust Mark shield when shopping for devices, she said.
In a statement released by the White House, Michael Dolan, Best Buy’s head of enterprise privacy and data protection, said his company “sees great potential” in the program, and he called it a “positive step forward for consumers.”
Steve Downer, a vice president for Amazon, says his company supports the program’s goal to boost trust in connected devices and predicts that consumers will see value in the mark both while shopping in stores and online.
“We look forward to collaborating with industry partners and the government on consumer education efforts and implementation strategies,” Downer said.