The White House announced new security labels for smart home and other internet-connected devices sold in the United States. called US Internet Trust Marka voluntary label that companies can put on devices such as home security cameras, smart speakers, routers and baby monitors. These devices often come with preset passwords that are easy to guess, leading to hacking attacks. They also do not provide clearly defined information about security updates. This is where the Internet Trustmark program comes in.

The U.S. Cyber ​​Trust Mark will allow smart home device manufacturers to test their products against cybersecurity standards set by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Products that receive a safety label must undergo compliance testing by an accredited laboratory. This would provide U.S. consumers with an easy way to check the cybersecurity standards of the products they choose to bring into their homes, much like the Energy Star program that helps consumers identify energy-efficient home appliances.

The Web Trustmark has been under development since the past 18 months. In December last year, the FCC announced conditional approval of 11 companies as network security label administrators. This label (see above) will initially appear on wireless consumer IoT products that meet the program’s cybersecurity standards. It will come with a QR code that consumers can scan to get easy-to-understand details about the product’s security, such as how long the product is supported and whether software patches and security updates are automatic.

The White House noted in a press release that the Internet Trust Mark program “will open in 2025,” and companies will soon be able to submit their products for testing to receive the label. Platforms like Best Buy and Amazon will highlight labeled products, and consumers can look for products with the trust mark on their shelves.