OLIVIA TRUSTY: FCC’s New Cyber Trust Mark aims to make all of our smart homes safer homes

Before purchasing a new refrigerator, consumers can look for the Energy Star label to understand how efficiently it uses energy. Before purchasing food at the grocery store, consumers can look for the USDA Organic label to understand how it was produced. But before purchasing an internet-connected camera, baby monitor or door lock that we put in some of our most private spaces, consumers have no comparably simple way to know whether that device was designed to keep hackers out.

The Federal Communications Commission is working to change that with the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark program.

This voluntary cybersecurity labeling program is intended to make security easier to understand by helping consumers quickly identify internet-connected products that meet established cybersecurity requirements. Some of these requirements include making sure the product protects consumer data, limits access to authorized users and securely updates software. Qualifying devices will also provide consumers with clear information about manufacturer support so that consumers do not need to become cybersecurity experts to protect themselves.

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Products that meet the Cyber Trust Mark requirements will ultimately display a label with a distinctive shield that quickly lets Americans know the connected product they’re bringing into their homes meets certain baseline cybersecurity requirements. The shield will be accompanied by a QR code that consumers can scan to find accessible and up-to-date information about the product’s security. A buyer can learn, for example, how to change a factory-set password, where to find security updates and how long the manufacturer has committed to supporting the product.

The FCC is working to roll out the Cyber Trust Mark program to a retailer near you by next year.

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The commission’s efforts have taken on new urgency as cyberattacks increase and American homes become more connected. On average, there are approximately 20 to 25 connected devices in a typical U.S. household and close to 1 million Internet-of-Things-related cyberattacks per day.

To meet the commission’s 2027 implementation timeline, the ioXt Alliance, an organization with extensive security experience, was selected earlier this year as the lead administrator to manage the daily operations of the program. And in the coming months, the FCC will seek public comment on the design and use of the label, technical standards and testing procedures to determine product eligibility and post-market surveillance rules to preserve the integrity of the Cyber Trust Mark label throughout the life of a qualifying product.

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As the FCC moves forward on each of these program elements, we welcome feedback from manufacturers, retailers, cybersecurity researchers, consumer advocates and other interested parties to make sure we get the details right. Because in addition to giving consumers more tools to protect themselves, our goal is to maximize participation in this program among product manufacturers.

Manufacturers that participate will have a visible way of demonstrating their commitment to security. They will also distinguish themselves from competitors that lack this certification and give retailers and online marketplaces the opportunity to highlight the trusted products they sell. And before long, this will create economic incentives for others to build security into their products at the design stage and not bolt on only after a vulnerability has been discovered.

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These, among other benefits, can be expected from the Cyber Trust Mark program, but consumers should be aware that no label can promise that a product will never be hacked. This is why the Cyber Trust Mark program represents just one part of the FCC’s broader commitment to strengthening cybersecurity.

Other commission-led initiatives include removing untrustworthy equipment from U.S. communications networks, improving the integrity of our equipment authorization process and increasing transparency into the foreign ownership and control of entities operating critical communications systems across the country.

Each line of effort addresses a different point of vulnerability. Secure networks require equipment from trusted sources. Resilient infrastructure requires responsible operators. And connected homes require products designed with cybersecurity in mind.

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To be clear, the Cyber Trust Mark program is not intended to put the burden of cybersecurity squarely on consumers. It is a practical tool for consumers to protect themselves while continuing to implement strong passwords, multifactor authentication and security upgrades. And manufacturers are still expected to adopt reasonable cybersecurity practices whether or not they participate in the program. This is merely a way to keep consumers informed while rewarding companies that invest in security and raising expectations across the connected-device marketplace.

The bottom line is that the promise of the smart home should not come at the expense of the secure home. And by next year, the Cyber Trust Mark will help make security a standard feature of a connected home – not an afterthought.