The National Cyber Security Centre Finland (NCSC-FI) within Finnish regulatory agency Traficom today kicked off a smart device certification program designed to inform consumers if certain products meet basic information security standards.
Devices that meet certification criteria, which are based on consumer Internet of Things standards from the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), will receive an official label designating it as NCSC-FI-approved. In a press release, Traficom claims the program makes Finland the first European country to issue certificates for safe smart devices.
"The security level of devices in the market varies, and until now there has been no easy way for consumers to know which products are safe and which are not," said Jarkko Saarimaki director of the National Cyber Security Centre Finland (NCSC-FI) at Traficom, in the release. "The Cybersecurity label launched today is a tool that makes purchase decisions easier by helping consumers identify devices that are sufficiently secure."
The NCSC-FI commenced development of its Cybersecurity label in late 2018 in a pilot project involving smart device manufacturers Cozify Oy, DNA Plc and Polar Electro Oy. A label was granted to Cozify's Hub for smart homes, DNA's Wattinen smart heating system and Polar Ignite's fitness smartwatch, the release states.
