Is that baby monitor safe from hackers? FCC rolls out Cyber Trust Mark | Gadget Daddy

It has been 32 years since the U.S. Environmental Protection agency launched the Energy Star program. The Energy Star was awarded to appliances, products and other things that were between 10% and 90% more efficient than competing products.

It estimated annual energy costs and compared them with a range of costs for similar products.

I bring the Energy Star up today because another government agency is introducing another program. This one will designate smart devices that are harder for hackers to gain control over.

In an age where nearly every device is connected to the Internet — from baby monitors to garage door openers — its important to know which products are making the effort to keep users safe from unwanted entry.

The Federal Communications Commission voted in March to create the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark to "help consumers make informed purchasing decisions, differentiate trustworthy products in the marketplace, and create incentives for manufacturers to meet higher cybersecurity standards," according to an FCC press release.

FCC officials said the voluntary program should be far enough along in the coming months that consumers will start seeing the cyber shield on products before the start of the holiday shopping season.

"You should hopefully, by the holiday season, start to see devices that have this trustmark on it,” Nicholas Leiserson, the assistant national cyber director for cyber policy and programs, told The Associated Press.

Leiserson noted that the trust mark will also appear with a QR code that consumers can scan with their smart phones for details about the security of the product and whether software patches and security updates will be made automatically, and how long the devices will be supported.

Major companies have already signed up to participate in the program, including Google, Amazon, LG Electronics, Best Buy, Logitech and Samsung.

In addition to baby monitors and garage-door openers mentioned above as examples of Cyber Trust-eligible items, home security cameras, voice-activated shopping devices, Internet-connected appliances and fitness trackers can also earn the designation.

U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee, said the "telecommunications industry stands as the backbone of our interconnected world, facilitating seamless communication and driving the digital economy.

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"But with increased connectivity comes a growing threat landscape that demands vigilant cybersecurity measures to defend against malicious actors and ensure the resilience of our telecommunications infrastructure.

"Astonishingly, every 39 seconds a cyberattack occurs, underscoring the relentless nature of the challenges we face in safeguarding our digital infrastructure," he concluded.

Cyberattacks are commonplace. Some products are better equipped to handle them than others. It's important that consumers have an easy way to determine which is which.

Lonnie Brown can be reached at LedgerDatabase@aol.com.