Consumer protections against hacking and cyber-attacks will come into force today, as all internet connected smart devices will be required by law to meet minimum-security standards.
Manufacturers will be legally required to protect consumers from hackers and cyber criminals from accessing devices with internet or network connectivity – from smartphones to games consoles and connected fridges – as the UK becomes the first country in the world to introduce these laws.
Under the new regime, manufacturers will be banned from having weak, easily guessable default passwords like ‘admin’ or ‘12345’ and if there is a common password the user will be promoted to change it on start-up. This will help prevent threats like the Mirai attack in 2016 which saw 300,000 smart products compromised due to weak security features and used to attack major internet platforms and services, leaving much of the US East Coast without internet. Since then, similar attacks have occurred on UK banks including Lloyds and RBS leading to disruption to customers.
The move marks a significant step towards boosting the UK’s resilience towards cyber-crime, as recent figures show 99 per cent of UK adults own at least one smart device and UK households own an average of nine connected devices. The new regime will also help give customers confidence in buying and using products, which will in turn help grow businesses and the economy.
An investigation conducted by Which? showed that a home filled with smart devices could be exposed to more than 12,000 hacking attacks from across the world in a single week, with a total of 2,684 attempts to guess weak default passwords on just five devices.
With 57 per cent of households owning a smart TV, 53 per cent owning a voice assistant and 49 per cent owning a smart watch or fitness wristband, this new regime reinforces the government’s commitments to addressing these threats to society and the economy head on.
The laws are coming into force as part of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) regime, which has been designed to improve the UK’s resilience from cyber-attacks and ensure malign interference does not impact the wider UK and global economy.
The new measures will also introduce a series of improved security protections to tackle the threat of cyber-crime:
- Common or easily guessable passwords like ‘admin’ or ‘12345’ will be banned to prevent vulnerabilities and hacking
- Manufacturers will have to publish contact details so bugs and issues can be reported and dealt with
- Manufacturers and retailers will have to be open with consumers on the minimum time they can expect to receive important security updates
Minister for cyber, Viscount Camrose, said: “As every-day life becomes increasingly dependent on connected devices, the threats generated by the internet multiply and become even greater.
“From today, consumers will have greater peace of mind that their smart devices are protected from cyber criminals, as we introduce world first laws that will make sure their personal privacy, data and finances are safe.
“We are committed to making the UK the safest place in the world to be online and these new regulations mark a significant leap towards a more secure digital world.”