Tag Archive for: Consumers

Samsung Partners with the White House to Launch a Cybersecurity Labeling Program to Protect American Consumers

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On July 18, 2023, the White House auditorium served as the backdrop for a significant milestone in the convergence of the tech sector and government. Located in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, steps away from the West Wing, it hosted the U.S. government’s announcement of the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark program, an initiative aiming to guide consumers toward cybersecurity-conscious purchasing decisions.

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The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark is an initiative propelled into reality by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel of the Federal Communications Commission, with robust support from both the White House and the National Security Council. Its aim is to introduce a labeling system for consumer electronics and appliances, providing a valuable key to understanding the cybersecurity strengths and weaknesses of products people bring into their homes. This move will empower consumers, enabling them to make well-informed decisions about the technological devices they choose to incorporate into their daily lives.

As a global tech giant, and a longtime proponent of cybersecurity, has been a longstanding supporter of such measures. Ever since the company launched its security guidelines as part of the “Works with SmartThings” program in 2018 – a precursor to existing global Internet of Things (IoT) standards – it has championed voluntary cyber-labeling programs.


SmartThings

At a roundtable discussion held as part of the event, Samsung was represented by Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of SmartThings. She relayed the company’s commitment to the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark initiative, underscoring it as a high-priority undertaking for Samsung. This commitment extends to Samsung’s own range of connected products as well as to the open multi-brand IoT ecosystem facilitated by the SmartThings platform.

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Jung emphasized that SmartThings is not only a secure platform but also one that is open and interoperable. She noted that all devices integrated into this platform must pass rigorous functional testing to ensure seamless interoperability. In addition, they must undergo extensive security testing to guarantee

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75% of Consumers Ready to Ditch Brands Hit By Ransomware

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A recent survey has revealed that 75% of consumers would stop using a brand if they’ve been hit by a ransomware attack.

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Consumers Face Greater Risks From Malware But Many are Unprepared and Vulnerable

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Consumers experience the same malware threats as do businesses, but are often victimized by inadequate cybersecurity protections, ReasonLabs reports.

Credit: Getty Images

by D. Howard Kass • Jan 23, 2023

Many consumers face the same malware threats as do businesses, yet they are often victimized by inadequate security to protect themselves from cyberattacks. In many cases, the resources to defend their home networks and devices, ReasonLabs said in a new report.

A good deal of individuals and home users also are saddled with using legacy anti-virus products with antiquated engines that need to be replaced, the New York-based, consumer-centric security provider said:

“One commonality that unites most individuals or home users, no matter where they are in the world or what their socioeconomic status might be, is a lack of adequate cybersecurity with the capabilities of protecting their devices and home networks from next-generation threats.”

Key Findings From the Report

Here are the study’s findings:

  • The emergence of the metaverse and increased adoption of IoT devices carry new cyber risks, such as the metaverse attack vector identified by ReasonLabs researchers in 2022.
  • Malicious web extensions are becoming more and more prevalent; 15% of all malicious extensions detected throughout 2022 came from users in the United States.
  • Trojanized software, such as coin miners, backdoors, infostealers, remote access trojans (RATs), and spyware, continues to be a top threat to home users and remote employees, as they accounted for 31% of all detections.
  • The rise in HackUtilities detections from 4% in 2021 to 20% in 2022 demonstrates that online piracy — the use of pirated or cracked software and applications — is either at or near an all-time high.
  • Cyber warfare is increasingly impacting average citizens around the world, with the most notable examples in 2022 coming from Russia’s war in Ukraine. The study found a large increase in detections in Ukraine throughout February compared to January, signaling that Russia’s invasion was also paired with cyberattacks.
  • The…

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Apple Lets Consumers BYOK; Is Your Cloud Provider Following Suit?

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Consumers are used to having their messages encrypted end-to-end so that only those with whom they are communicating can see their messages. But, what about their pictures and documents that are stored in the mobile service provider’s environment? Now, Apple has launched its Advanced Data Protection feature for iCloud’s 850 million users and their 1.8 billion connected devices. Apple’s new opt-in offering will provide consumers with end-to-end encryption for their assets and not just messages, ensuring that only the owner of that iCloud account can access that data, giving them unprecedented control. In the event of a breach or insider threat, Apple users’ data will remain safely encrypted, with keys that they control — even law enforcement officers with a warrant won’t be able to access iMessage archives, photo galleries, or anything backed up to iCloud.

This move comes as Apple implements a suite of other modern security measures, including offering users the ability to verify their identity in iMessage and to use hardware keys such as YubiKeys for two-factor authentication. Security professionals have campaigned for Apple to implement the feature—which is analogous to Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) encryption in the enterprise space—after a host of iCloud breaches have leaked the unencrypted private data of politicians, celebrities, and private citizens. Apple announced that it sees the feature as central to its mission of protecting users’ privacy. The company also stated that as data threats become more sophisticated, the security options made available to consumers must keep pace.

Additionally, Apple’s implementation of end-to-end encryption sends a strong message that it prioritizes customers’ right to privacy and security.

Encryption Key Control is Non-negotiable

By offering end-to-end encryption to nearly a billion users, Apple sets a precedent for the industry at large. If Apple is relinquishing control over encryption keys for consumers, it should also be non-negotiable for enterprise-grade cloud providers to do the same. Data breaches can be highly damaging and embarrassing for individuals. The same is true for companies, many of which are legally…

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