The UK government has introduced a new bill in its attempt to protect smart devices in people's homes from cybersecurity threats.
The BBC reports that the Telecom Infrastructure and Product Security Bill sets out specific rules to protect consumers from cyberattacks.
"Our bill will put a firewall around everyday technology, from phones and thermostats to dishwashers, baby monitors and doorbells, and will see huge fines for those who violate the new standards. Tight security," said Julia Lopez, Minister of Media , Data and Digital Infrastructure. . .
The new bill includes a range of devices, smartphones, routers, security cameras, game consoles, smart speakers, Internet-connected toys, etc.
Secure all technologies
For starters, the bill seeks to ban easy-to-guess default passwords preloaded on devices. Instead, products should have unique passwords and measures to prevent them from being reset to factory settings.
Additionally, manufacturers must notify customers if the product will receive security updates and fixes, and for how long.
It is important to note that the rules also apply to UK companies selling cheap products imported from abroad.
This is crucial in light of the recent Which? which has found over a thousand cheap smart devices full of security and privacy concerns in popular online marketplaces as Black Friday approaches.
The bill also seeks to appoint a regulator to oversee membership and the power to impose fines on companies that do not meet the requirements of up to € 10 million or 4% of their worldwide turnover, as well as up to € 20,000 per day per ongoing infractions.
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