Are you compliant with the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022?
The government mandated compliance with the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 by 29th April 2024. But do you know what the law covers?
What does the legislation require?
The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act requires manufacturers, importers and distributors to ensure that minimum security requirements are met in relation to consumer connectable products that are available in the UK and provides a robust regulatory framework for non-compliance.
The adoption of cyber security requirements within these products is poor – only 1 in 5 manufacturers embed basic security requirements in consumer connectable products, although consumers overwhelmingly assume these products are secure. Hackers know and regularly exploit these vulnerabilities.
What does the law cover?
This law applies to all consumer IoT products, including but not limited to:
- connected safety-relevant products such as door locks
- connected home automation and alarm systems
- Internet of Things base stations and hubs to which multiple devices connect
- smart home assistants
- smartphones
- smoke detectors
- connected cameras
- connected fridges, washers, freezers, coffee machines
What does the legislation require?
The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure legislation covers the following three main security features:
- Consumer IoT devices will not be allowed to have universal default passwords. This makes it easier for consumers to configure their devices securely to prevent them being hacked by cyber criminals.
- Consumer IoT devices will have to have a vulnerability disclosure policy. This means manufacturers must have a plan for how to deal with weaknesses in software, which means it’s more likely that such weaknesses will be addressed properly.
- Consumer IoT devices will need to disclose how long they will receive software updates
This means that software updates are created and released to maintain the security of the device throughout its declared lifespan.
What are the penalties for not complying with the legislation?
The robust regulatory framework within the law includes an enforcement regime containly civil and criminal sanctions aimed at preventing insecure products being made available on the UK market. This enforcement regime enables the government to take a range of actions against companies that are not compliant with the law. These include:
- Enforcement Notices: Compliance notices, Stop notices and Recall notices
- Monetary penalties: the greater of £10 million or 4% of the company’s qualifying worldwide revenue
- Forfeiture: of stock which is in the possession or control of any manufacturer, importer or distributor of the products, or an authorised representative.
What needs to be done?
Businesses who produce or supply IoT connected products need to ensure that they are sighted on this law and have taken the appropriate steps to ensure that they are compliant with its requirements. Just to repeat, the compliance date was 29th April 2024.
How can SBD’s Secure Connected Device accreditation help with compliance?
Secured by Design’s (SBD) Secure Connected Device accreditation scheme, developed in consultation with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), helps companies to get their products appropriately assessed against all 13 provisions of the ETSI EN 303 645 standard, a requirement that goes beyond the government’s legislation so that companies can not only demonstrate their compliance with the legislation but help protect themselves, their products and customers. It is a unique and recognisable accreditation that highlights products as having achieved the relevant IoT standards and certification.
Te SBD Secure Connected Device IoT Assessment identifies the level of risk associated with an IoT device and its ecosystem, providing recommendations on the appropriate certification routes with one of the SBD-approved certification bodies. Once third-party testing and independent certification for a product has been achieved, the company can apply to become SBD members, with the product receiving the SBD’s Secure Connected Device accreditation.
In addition, the Secure Connected Device accreditation ensures compliance with evolving government requirements and cyberthreats, via an annual appraisal.
The Secure Connected Device accreditation is the only way for companies to obtain police recognition for the security of their IoT products in the UK.
Find out more about SBD’s Secure Connected Device accreditation and the companies who have achieved it to date at www.securedbydesign.com/IoT
