The Biden administration said it will launch a cybersecurity labeling program for consumer Internet of Things (IoT) devices starting in 2023 in an effort to protect Americans from “significant national security risks.”

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Inspired by ENERGY STAR, a labeling program operated by US EPA to promote energy efficiency, the White House is planning to roll out a similar IoT labeling program to the “highest-risk” devices starting next year, a senior Biden administration official said following a recent National Security Council meeting with consumer product associations and device manufacturers.

The initiative, described by White House officials as “ENERGY STAR for cyber,” will help Americans to recognize whether devices meet a set of basic cybersecurity standards devised by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Though specifics of the program have not yet been confirmed, the administration said it will “keep things simple.” The labels, which will be “globally recognized” and debut on devices such as routers and home cameras, will take the form of a “barcode” that users can scan using their smartphone rather than a static paper label, the administration official said. The scanned barcode will link to information based on standards, such as software updating policies, data encryption and vulnerability remediation.

The announcement comes after the White House last year ordered NIST and the FTC to explore two labeling pilot programs on cybersecurity capabilities for IoT devices. It also comes after the U.K. government last year introduced an IoT security bill in Parliament, requiring device manufacturers, importers, and distributors to meet certain cybersecurity standards.

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David Shiller

David Shiller is the Publisher of LightNOW, and President of Lighting Solution Development, a North American consulting firm providing business development services to advanced lighting manufacturers. The ALA awarded David the Pillar of the Industry Award. David has co-chaired ALA’s Engineering Committee since 2010. David established MaxLite’s OEM component sales into a multi-million dollar division. He invented GU24 lamps while leading ENERGY STAR lighting programs for the US EPA. David has been published in leading lighting publications, including LD+A, enLIGHTenment Magazine, LEDs Magazine, and more.

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