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In a move to shield Americans from “serious national security concerns,” the Biden administration stated it will create a cybersecurity labeling scheme for consumer Internet of Things devices in 2023.
It’s no secret that most IoT devices have poor security postures. Because of weak default passwords, botnet operators have been able to take over unprotected routers and overwhelm victims with internet traffic, knocking entire websites and networks down. The US government wants to help educate Americans on the security hazards.
The White House intends to launch a comparable IoT labelling scheme for the “high-risk” gadgets next year, inspired by Energy Star, a labelling programme managed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy to encourage energy efficiency, according to a senior Biden administration official speaking after a National Security Council meeting with consumer product associations and device manufacturers on Wednesday.
The conference was attended by White House cyber official Anne Neuberger, FCC chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel, National Cyber Director Chris Inglis, and Sen. Angus King, as well as representatives from Google, Amazon, Samsung, Sony, and others.
The program, dubbed “Energy Star for cyber” by White House officials, would assist Americans in determining whether gadgets fulfill a set of fundamental cybersecurity requirements developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Though the program’s contents have yet to be announced, the government has stated that it would “make things simple.” The labels, which will be “globally recognized” and will first appear on equipment such as routers and home cameras, will be in the form of a “barcode” that users can scan with their smartphone rather than a static paper label, according to an administration official.
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