Intertek launches cybersecurity certification program for consumer IoT

By Gina Roos, editor-in-chief

Cybersecurity has become critical to protecting connected devices, from home appliances to wearables, from malicious attacks that compromise a consumer’s personal data. As more smart devices are connected and communicate via technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or cellular IoT, this opens up vulnerabilities in new products. To manage these risks, Intertek has launched a product testing and certification program that enables manufacturers and brands to assess their connected consumer products’ cybersecurity.

The Intertek Cyber Assured certification is an end-to-end assurance solution that covers all elements of IoT networks, including testing the product, web and mobile applications, and cloud services. The total quality assurance provider claims its Cyber Assured Certification  is the first product cybersecurity testing and certification program that provides continuous vulnerability monitoring for connected consumer products. 

The new certification program will help manufacturers meet emerging regulatory requirements such as California SB327, said Intertek. It also will demonstrate to consumers that their products are secure with the Intertek Cyber Assured Mark and directory.

Under the program, the certified products will be continuously reassessed to ensure their safety against new threats and vulnerabilities. The program also features a unique scanning process, said Intertek, that provides manufacturers with the information needed to patch software to maintain security, ensuring the product remains secure over its entire lifetime.

“Intertek has been a pioneer in cybersecurity testing, certification and assurance for more than three decades. The IoT revolution is bringing huge opportunities for our clients, and society in general, improving life in many ways. However, it also creates significant risks, of which many businesses have no previous experience, as well as new regulatory requirements like California IoT and EU GDPR,” Tony Walker, Intertek’s vice president, said in a statement.

“Bringing together Intertek’s cybersecurity expertise, other ‘connectivity’ services including cellular device testing, and our global product safety and compliance testing heritage, we are now able to offer the full suite of bespoke assurance services to allow our clients to launch successful, secure, connected products, and monitor their product’s security over its entire life cycle,” he added.