It was much needed: thanks to the UK government who has introduced new legislation to stave off the consumers' devices from being attacked by cyberpunks.
New reports suggest that if the companies fail to sell digital products that do not meet the new cyber security standards can be banned and also charged as high as £10 million or 4 percent of "their global turnover, as well as up to £20,000 a day in the case of an ongoing contravention".
On Wednesday, Parliament was called by the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) bill. It said that the government holds the authority to ban default passwords for internet-connected devices. The passed bill urges the devices selling businesses to be transparent to the customers for what actions they are taking to protect them from cybercriminals.
The digital device manufacturers currently make sure that their products do not cause physical harm including overheating, sharp components, and electric shock. However, cyber breaches that caused theft and fraud of private information were paid no attention to.
The upgraded laws will help the government to make it easy for consumers to use their devices efficiently and without any stress of being attacked by cybercriminals.
The connectable device manufacturers are now supposed to make it clear to its customer before selling the product about the minimal amount of time they will be receiving the security updates. The government believes that this information would help the customers in making better decisions while picking and choosing the best product for themselves. It also claims that this rule was passed to make that 80% of firms follow it.
In the future, the manufacturers would be required to make it easier for the bug reporters to report their flaws if they find any- by giving a public point of contact.
Once the bill is started practicing, this will be overseen by the regulator that will have all the rights to charge the companies who don’t abide by the rules. The regulator would also hold the power to issue notices to the companies or even make them stop selling their products.
Julia Lopez, the Minister of Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure said that hackers have a habit of breaking into people’s smartphones daily which puts many of us at risk. She ensured that the bill will make the cybercriminals aware that there is someone to watch after and take strict notice against them. Let’s see if the bill makes difference or not.
Photo: Getty
Read next: Here's What Kind of Personal Data Do Online Shopping Sites Collect?
New reports suggest that if the companies fail to sell digital products that do not meet the new cyber security standards can be banned and also charged as high as £10 million or 4 percent of "their global turnover, as well as up to £20,000 a day in the case of an ongoing contravention".
On Wednesday, Parliament was called by the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) bill. It said that the government holds the authority to ban default passwords for internet-connected devices. The passed bill urges the devices selling businesses to be transparent to the customers for what actions they are taking to protect them from cybercriminals.
The digital device manufacturers currently make sure that their products do not cause physical harm including overheating, sharp components, and electric shock. However, cyber breaches that caused theft and fraud of private information were paid no attention to.
The upgraded laws will help the government to make it easy for consumers to use their devices efficiently and without any stress of being attacked by cybercriminals.
The connectable device manufacturers are now supposed to make it clear to its customer before selling the product about the minimal amount of time they will be receiving the security updates. The government believes that this information would help the customers in making better decisions while picking and choosing the best product for themselves. It also claims that this rule was passed to make that 80% of firms follow it.
In the future, the manufacturers would be required to make it easier for the bug reporters to report their flaws if they find any- by giving a public point of contact.
Once the bill is started practicing, this will be overseen by the regulator that will have all the rights to charge the companies who don’t abide by the rules. The regulator would also hold the power to issue notices to the companies or even make them stop selling their products.
Julia Lopez, the Minister of Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure said that hackers have a habit of breaking into people’s smartphones daily which puts many of us at risk. She ensured that the bill will make the cybercriminals aware that there is someone to watch after and take strict notice against them. Let’s see if the bill makes difference or not.
Read next: Here's What Kind of Personal Data Do Online Shopping Sites Collect?