The FCC has probably killed a plan to improve smart home security
The US Cyber Trust Mark program, an Energy Star-style certification for smart home security, could end less than a year after its launch. Security testing company UL Solutions announced it was stepping down as lead administrator of the program, just months after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) began investigating its ties to China.
The Cyber Trust Mark program has not yet been officially shut down, but the loss of its lead administrator leaves it in limbo. This wouldn’t be the first security program removed by the FCC this year. In November, the FCC rolled back cybersecurity regulations for telecommunications companies put in place after the Salt Typhoon hack in 2024. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr also began reviewing testing labs earlier this year and decertified so-called “bad labs” based in China.
The Cyber Trust Mark program was announced in 2023 under the Biden administration as a way to certify that smart home devices meet certain cybersecurity standards, with approved products marked with a shield icon on their packaging, much like an Energy Star sticker. It was launched at CES 2025, but the certification mark has not yet started appearing on any products. The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the future of the program.
