Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., has introduced legislation to support the recently released White House cybersecurity certification – the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark – which will help Americans choose smart devices with trusted cybersecurity measures.
The legislation – introduced on July 13 – would go further than the White House’s certification by creating an advisory committee of cybersecurity experts to create benchmarks for the Internet of Things (IoT).
“I recognize how valuable technology can be in making our lives easier. At the same time, interconnected technologies can present serious security vulnerabilities for consumers,” said Rep. Lieu.
Since 2017, Rep. Lieu has introduced similar legislation, along with Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., in the form of the Cyber Shield Act. This bill focused on creating stricter cybersecurity certifications for smartphones and other devices being used by personnel working in vital cyber positions.
“Senator Markey and I are thrilled that the ideas we worked on have been adopted by the White House,” Rep. Lieu said. “Similar to the cyber shield labeling efforts that Sen. Markey and I have pushed in Congress, this White House cyber trust labeling initiative will help consumers make informed choices and help ensure advancements in technology don’t come at the expense of privacy and security.”
The bill would support the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark by creating “a voluntary program to identify and promote internet-connected products that meet industry-leading cybersecurity and data security standards, guidelines, best practices, methodologies, procedures, and processes, and for other purposes,” according to the title of the bill.
Currently, no other companion bills exist.
