FCC’s new Cyber Trust Mark mirrors lawmakers’ Cyber Shield Act by corralling security experts, industry leaders to create new cybersecurity benchmarks for smart devices

Washington (July 18, 2023) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Representative Ted W. Lieu (CA-36) today applauded the Biden administration’s announcement of the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, a new cybersecurity certification echoing the lawmakers’ Cyber Shield Act that will encourage manufacturers to prioritize cybersecurity in their smart devices:

“Smart devices are everywhere—on our doorsteps, atop our desks, and in our pockets. We applaud the Biden administration for heeding our call to establish a voluntary cybersecurity certification program so that consumers can know whether the baby monitor, home assistant, or camera they purchase is safe from threats and that manufacturers are taking those threats seriously. With tens of billions of smart devices already purchased and in use in this country, the new Cyber Trust Mark will serve a critical mission in promoting security and safeguarding privacy.”

In October, Senator Markey, then-chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Cybersecurity Policy, and Representative Lieu applauded the Biden administration’s efforts to design a certification program, strengthen federal cybersecurity measures, and bring together companies, associations, and government partners to coordinate efforts to protect consumers from hacking and other vulnerabilities online. In March 2021, the two lawmakers introduced the Cyber Shield Act to establish an advisory committee of cybersecurity experts from academia, industry, consumer groups, government, and the public to create cybersecurity benchmarks for Internet of Things (IoT) devices – such as baby monitors, home assistants, smart locks, cameras, cell phones, and laptops. IoT manufacturers would then voluntarily certify that their products meet those cybersecurity benchmarks, and display this certification to the public with a “Cyber Shield” label that will help consumers identify and purchase more secure technology for their homes.

###