President Joe Biden’s administration has unveiled a new initiative to find smart devices that are more resilient to online threats. The goal of the initiative is to assist consumers in selecting products that offer the best defense against potential cyberattacks. The administration stated in a statement on Tuesday that the program will award the best-protected devices with a “U.S. Cyber Trust Mark.” The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will lead the initiative. The statement went on, “The program’s objective is to give consumers the information they need to make educated decisions about the relative security of the products they choose to bring into their homes.”
Jessica Rosenworcel, the chairwoman of the FCC, clarified that a variety of smart gadgets, such as fitness trackers, televisions, microwaves, and temperature control systems, will be covered by the program. These gadgets are a component of the “internet of things,” which may enhance the risks to cybersecurity, according to officials. According to the Biden administration, a number of manufacturers have freely decided “to increase cybersecurity for the products they sell.” These businesses include Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics USA, Amazon, Best Buy, Google, and Logitech. Before granting final approval and launching the program, the FCC is anticipated to solicit public feedback on it.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology has developed standards, or quality requirements, that are used to rate the safety level of items. These recommendations demand that items have strong, one-of-a-kind passwords, data security protocols, and updated software. Furthermore, the devices must to incorporate inbuilt mechanisms for detecting attempted cyberattacks. The initiative will resemble the Energy Star program, which now labels products with energy-saving information. In order to give customers more information, labelled devices would furthermore have QR codes. The products will be reexamined year to ensure they meet regulations, according to officials. The Biden administration started a nationwide cyber effort in March. The initiative urged software developers and businesses to step up efforts to safeguard their products against cyberattacks.
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