On July 18, 2023, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that she has circulated a proposal to the FCC’s commissioners to create “a voluntary cybersecurity labeling program that would provide consumers with clear information about the security of their Internet-enabled devices.”
According to the text of her announcement (the proposal itself is not yet available), 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.”
Chairwoman Rosenworcel also announced a proposed U.S. Cyber Trust Mark logo, which would appear on packaging of products that meet cybersecurity criteria developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, alongside a QR code that consumers can scan for more information about the product. If the FCC adopts the proposal after a public comment period, the agency estimates that the new program “could be up and running by late 2024.”