The new program was proposed by the Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel. The program apparently aims at helping consumers make well-informed decisions over purchasing products, like identifying the marketplace with advance cybersecurity standards.
"The goal of the program is to provide tools for consumers to make informed decisions about the relative security of products they choose to bring into their homes," the administration said.
Under the proposed programs, consumers are likely to see a newly formed “U.S. Cyber Trust Mark” label, that will serve as a shield logo, distinguishing the products that satisfies the established cybersecurity criteria. Apparently, these criteria will be decided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which will include criteria like unique and strong default passwords, data protection, software updates and incident detection capabilities.
According to the administration, a number of significant retailers, trade groups, and manufacturers of consumer goods such electronics, appliances, and consumer goods have made voluntarily commitments to improve cybersecurity for the products they sell. Amazon, Best Buy, Google, LG Electronics USA, Logitech, and Samsung Electronics are among the participants.
Plans for the program was prior discussed by the Biden administration in late 2022 to establish a voluntary initiative with internet of things makers to help ensure products meet minimum security standards.
Reportedly, the FCC, which is responsible for regulating wireless communication devices is set to seek public comment regarding the labeling program by 2024.
According to the administration, the FCC is applying for registration to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to register a national trademark that would be used on products that satisfy the predetermined standards.
"The proposal seeks input on issues including the scope of devices for sale in the U.S. that should be eligible for inclusion in the labeling program, who should oversee and manage the program, how to develop the security standards that could apply to different types of devices, how to demonstrate compliance with those security standards, how to safeguard the cybersecurity label against unauthorized use, and how to educate consumers about the program," the FCC notice says.
The proposal highlights inclusion of a QR code to products that will provide consumers with information, pending a certification mark approval by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The FBI has just issued a warning to consumers telling them not to use free public charging stations since cybercriminals have managed to take control of them and infect devices with malware, which may allow hackers access to your phone, tablet, or computer.
“Avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels or shopping centers[…]Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices,” the bureau stated in a tweet.
A cyber-attack technique called “juice jacking” allows hackers to use public USB ports to infect victims’ devices with malware and monitoring software. Theoretically, these types of tools that may be set up in this manner enable hackers to gain access to the data on your smartphone and steal your passwords, allowing them to carry out activities like identity theft, money transfers from your bank account, or even just selling your information on the dark web.
Due to the rising popularity of public charging stations, which are now available in airports, shopping malls, and train stations, there is a higher chance of victims falling prey to cyberattacks of this kind. Users may not be able to recognize the risk since the hackers alter the charging station and pass it off as authentic.
However, despite being aware of the danger, many people still charge their phones. According to a consumer alert issued by the FCC in 2021, criminals may leave cables at the stations or may even distribute infected cords as a promotional gift.
Here we are recommending some measures FCC advised by FCC to avoid becoming a juice jacking victim:
Do Not Use USB Charging Stations: The best approach to avoid juice jacking is to utilize an AC power outlet rather than a public charging station. Some users solely stick to USB charging because certain smartphones are sold without an AC power adaptor and they may be pricey. Also, it is possible that some power stations not have AC power outlets.
Use Your Own AC, Car Chargers, and USB Cables: People who use their smartphones for extended periods of time will find external and portable batteries to be helpful. Although it adds to the cost, it is a secure method of avoiding being "juiced."
Use a Charging-only Cable: The gadget battery may be charged and data can be transferred using USB ports. There are wires designed solely for charging that forbid sending or receiving data. When you wish to use a public charging station, get one from a trustworthy supplier.
The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) raised an alert to warn Americans about the increasing danger in smishing (robotexts) attacks that aim for stealing personal information or are used in financial scams. FCC says that Robocall Response Team is alerting consumers to the rising threat of robotexts.
Hackers use various tricks to lure victims into giving out their personal information or sending the hacker money. Sometimes the hackers use SMS that contains incorrect but very real information about unpaid bills, order delivery status, bank account issues, etc.
According to FCC "consumers who have filed complaints with the FCC say some of the texts resemble email spam, with links to unwanted and unsolicited products. But many of the texts appear to be ploys to steal valuable personal or financial information."
In a few cases, the data that is collected from these smishing campaigns are used in the future for other malicious purposes. The alert warns American users to not respond to or open any links they see in their inbox. The warning came out after various users registered complaints about unwanted SMS, which in recent times, have increased from 5700 in 2019, 14,000 in 2020, 15,300 in 2021, to 8,500 by June 2020.