Monday, December 14, 2020
On Dec. 4, 2020, President Donald Trump signed into law the bipartisan-backed Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020. By its terms, the new law applies solely to federal government agencies, but its downstream consequences are likely to reach further, impacting devices procured by the federal government and likely, eventually consumer devices.
Internet of Things (IoT) devices are in widespread use, most visibly by consumers of new smart home devices. The new law defines IoT devices as those devices that:
Interact with the physical world
Have a network interface for transmitting or receiving information via the internet
Are not conventional information technology devices such as smartphones or laptops and cannot function as a component of another device such as a processor
With the new year just around the corner, experts from across the cyber security sector are making their predictions for 2021.
This year, following a well-publicised hack on the coronavirus vaccine supply chain, a ransomware attack on a German hospital that was initially linked to a patient’s death, and research into security flaws in connected devices that are fast becoming a critical part of our personal and professional lives, cyber security is part of the everyday news agenda and conversation.
With this in mind, we decided to stop and take stock of how legislative measures and cyber security research have advanced to keep pace with this rapidly evolving landscape.
IoT Improvement Act Backed by ioXt Alliance – Consumer Electronics Net consumerelectronicsnet.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from consumerelectronicsnet.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Forensic Focus Legal Update December 2020: Refining Search & Seizure; New Laws & Guidance
11th December 2020
The fourth quarter of 2020 has seen some significant legal developments when it comes to digital evidence. In this issue (which also happens to be the anniversary of the inaugural Forensic Focus Legal Update), we highlight:
Search warrant reform in the United Kingdom
Court decisions at various levels of the United States federal court system, including the U.S. Supreme Court
New federal and state laws
A roundup of forthcoming and recently published articles
U.K. search warrants are being reformed
In response to a variety of problems defective warrants, inefficiency, insufficient powers to access evidence on remote servers, and inadequate safeguards the United Kingdom’s Home Office in 2016 commissioned a review of current search warrant law and practices.
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Internet of Things (IoT) devices have the potential to transform our home and work environment by integrating a growing range of “smart” wirelessly connected sensors into our daily lives. Recognizing the growing importance of IoT consumer and enterprise devices as well as their potential vulnerability to cyber attacks, both houses of Congress passed H.R. 1668, the IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020 (the Act), which President Trump signed into law on December 4, 2020.
The Act mandates the creation of cybersecurity minimum requirements for IoT devices used by the federal government. Although intended to ensure the security of government information systems, these IoT minimum security requirements update existing National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance regarding IoT cybersecurity. Because the federal government is such a large purchaser, as a practical matter the legislative standards could