Democrats Reintroduce Bill to Secure Internet of Things

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Democrat lawmakers are rolling out a bill to secure the Internet of Things in order to reinforce consumer confidence in tech.
• The bill, called Cyber Shield Act, will have an advisory committee of various experts from different fields.
• If the bill does not pass into law, cybersecurity risks could make consumers vulnerable to hacking and invasions of privacy.

Democrats Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Rep. Ted Lieu of California restarted the legislation that aims to secure internet-connected devices, in order to strengthen consumer confidence in the technology.

The bill is called the Cyber Shield Act. It will generate a voluntary certification program for internet-connected devices or Internet of Things (IoT) devices. IoT is everything that needs a connection to the internet, such as mobile phones, smart appliances, and even baby monitors.

With Cyber Shield Act, an advisory committee composed of cybersecurity experts from various institutions, including the government, will be established. They will develop security benchmarks for IoT devices. The act will compel device manufacturers to meet established standards and label their products accordingly.

The bill was previously pushed by the two lawmakers in the Senate and House back in 2019, but there was no success in getting enough votes in both.

IoT will possibly become the “Internet of Threats until we put in place appropriate cybersecurity safeguards,” according to Markey on Wednesday.

He said in a statement, “With as many as 75 billion IoT devices projected to be in our pockets and homes by 2025, cybersecurity continues to pose a direct threat to economic prosperity, personal privacy, and global security.”

“By creating a cybersecurity certification program, the Cyber Shield Act will give consumers a seal of approval for more secure products, as well as encourage manufacturers to adopt the best cybersecurity practices so they can compete in the marketplace for safety,” he added.

In the past years, lawmakers have been focusing on securing internet-connected devices, given that many Americans use IoT in their homes.

“As we connect more parts of our lives to the internet, we have to make sure we’re doing it safely. That’s where Sen. Markey and my Cyber Shield Act comes in,” said Lieu.

Source: The Hill