The Federal Communications Commission on Monday picked a new organization to oversee its cybersecurity labeling program for internet of things devices, signaling that the Trump administration is still keen to launch its predecessor’s effort to put security at the center of smart-gadget purchases.
The FCC picked the nonprofit ioXt Alliance to be the new lead administrator of the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark Program, in which government-approved testing labs will review voluntarily submitted IoT products and certify that they meet the necessary standards to carry a security seal of approval. The program is aimed at consumers but will also likely influence businesses’ purchasing decisions. Officials hope that more widespread use of secure IoT devices will make it harder for hackers to commandeer the devices for cyberattacks, as they have repeatedly done over the years.
The Biden administration, which created the Cyber Trust Mark Program, initially selected the global standards organization UL Solutions to administer the program, but UL withdrew in December, after the Trump administration began investigating the company over its ties to China. That investigation led some experts to wonder whether the FCC’s new Republican leadership planned to sideline the Cyber Trust Mark Program.
Monday’s announcement suggests that the FCC is committed to the program. In a statement, FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the commission was confident that ioXt would “implement the program in a way that is consistent with” its founding purpose.
As lead administrator, the FCC explained in its official order, ioXt will be responsible for, among other tasks, “leading the ongoing stakeholder engagement to recommend additional IoT-specific standards and testing procedures, developing a consumer outreach campaign in collaboration with stakeholders, and acting as liaison between the Commission and [other label administrators].”
According to the commission, ioXt has said that “it is well positioned to serve as Lead Administrator and will contribute its unparalleled infrastructure and expertise to ensure the successful implementation of the Program.”
ioXt fits the bill well for the program’s lead administrator, according to Paul Besozzi, a senior partner at Squire Patton Boggs who focuses on telecommunications issues.
”They have been an active and substantive participant in the [program’s] docket since [its] inception, [with] some 20 filings,” Besozzi told Cybersecurity Dive. He noted that they also previously qualified as a regular administrator in the program.
As an IoT-focused U.S. nonprofit, Besozzi said, ioXt “seems to be [a] logical choice.”
Major technology firms, which have championed the Cyber Trust Mark Program, applauded the FCC.
“Selecting a new Lead Administrator puts the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark program on a path to success and supports American consumers and U.S. national security,” David Grossman, the vice president of policy and regulatory affairs at the Consumer Technology Association, said in a statement.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a comment.
