The FCC has probably killed a plan to improve smart home security

The US Cyber Trust Mark Program, an Energy Star–style certification for smart home security, could be winding down less than a year after it launched. Safety testing company UL Solutions has announced that it is stepping down as the program’s lead administrator, just a few months after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) began investigating it over ties to China.

The Cyber Trust Mark Program hasn’t been officially shut down yet, but the loss of its lead administrator leaves it in limbo. It wouldn’t be the first security program the FCC axed this year. In November, the FCC rolled back cybersecurity regulations for telecom companies put in place after the 2024 Salt Typhoon hack. FCC Chair Brendan Carr also began scrutinizing testing labs earlier this year and decertified so-called “bad labs” based in China.

The Cyber Trust Mark Program was announced in 2023 under the Biden administration as a way to certify that smart home devices meet certain cybersecurity standards, with approved products marked with a shield icon on their packaging, much like an Energy Star sticker. It launched at CES 2025, but the certification mark hasn’t started appearing on any products yet. The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the program’s future.