Singapore is planning to introduce a Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme for home routers and smart home hubs as part of efforts to increase awareness about using secured products. It also hopes the initiative will push manufacturers to deploy enhanced cybersecurity measures and will be looking to mandate a set of minimum security requirements for home routers.
Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as home routers and smart home hubs are a growing area of security concern, especially as the adoption of such devices was expected to grow significantly, said Singapore's Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Communications and information, Janil Puthucheary.
Speaking Tuesday at the MCI Committee of Supply Debate, he said these IoT devices typically had weak security protection and could be exploited by cyber attackers, who then could launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks to overwhelm systems and disrupt operations.
To plug such gaps, the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) would be introducing the Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme (CLS) for home routers and smart home hubs. This initiative aimed to increase consumer awareness about the use of more secure products as well as urge manufacturers to adopt additional cybersecurity measures, Puthucheary said.
In addition, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) would mandate a set of minimum security requirements for home routers, which should improve baseline standards for such devices, he said. These also would be the pre-requisite for manufacturers to secure the CLS for their products.
The minister added that IMDA planned to publish an IoT Cyber Security Guide to provide guidance for enterprises[1] and their vendors on the deployment of IoT technologies.
There currently is a version of an IoT Cyber Security Guide released by IMDA in January 2019[2].
During his speech, Puthucheary also touched on other efforts to better safeguard citizens' data