Tech A new security seal of approval is coming to your smart home gadgets A smart solution to protect your connected home from cyber threats Published January 22, 2025 6:00am EST close A new security seal of approval is coming to your smart home gadgets The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark will appear on smart products sold in the United States later this year. The White House has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative to enhance the security of internet-connected devices in American homes.The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, a new cybersecurity safety label, is set to appear on smart products sold in the United States later this year.This program aims to help you make informed decisions about the safety of the smart devices you bring into your home. U.S. Cyber Trust Mark (FCC)What is the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark?The U.S.Cyber Trust Mark is a label designed for consumer smart devices, including home security cameras, TVs, internet-connected appliances, fitness trackers, climate control systems and baby monitors. This mark signals that a device meets a set of security features approved by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).How does it work?Vendors can label their products with the Cyber Trust Mark logo if they meet NIST's cybersecurity criteria. These criteria include:WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?Using unique and strong default passwordsProviding software updatesImplementing data protection measuresIncorporating incident detection capabilitiesConsumers will be able to scan a QR code next to the Cyber Trust Mark label to access additional security information. This information includes:Instructions for changing the default passwordSteps for securely configuring the deviceDetails on automatic updates and how to access themThe product's minimum support periodNotification if the manufacturer doesn't offer updates for the device U.S. Cyber Trust Mark (FCC)Why is this important?There is a growing concern about cybercriminals remotelyhacking into home security systems and malicious actors tapping into insecure home cameras. With the average U.S. household having 21 connected devices, according to a Deloitte study, the threat of cyberattacks is increasingly significant.When will we see it?The program is set to launch in 2025. Companies will soon be able to submit their products for testing to earn the label, and major retailers like Best Buy and Amazon have committed to highlighting labeled products. The program has garnered support from major electronics, appliance and consumer product makers, including Amazon, Google, Best Buy, LG Electronics U.S.A., Logitech and Samsung Electronics.What's not on the Cyber Trust Mark menu?While the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark aims to cover a wide range of smart home gadgets, not everything in your tech arsenal will be sporting this new seal of approval. Here's a rundown of what's left out:GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREMedical devices overseen by the FDA: Your smart pacemaker won't be getting the mark.Cars and car equipment that are under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's watchful eye: So, no Cyber Trust Mark on your fancy new electric vehicle.Wired devices: This program is all about wireless wonders.Industrial and enterprise gear: It's focused on consumer products, not factory floors.Any equipment on the FCC's naughty list (aka Covered List) or made by companies on that listIoT products from companies flagged for national security concernsGadgets made by companies banned from federal shopping spreesAnd here's a surprise: Your trusty personal computer, smartphone and router won't be getting the Cyber Trust Mark either, at least not yet. The program is kicking off with wireless consumer IoT products, but who knows? It might grow to include more devices down the road. For now, NIST is cooking up some cybersecurity rules for those consumer-grade routers we all rely on.So, while you might not see the Cyber Trust Mark on everything in your tech toolkit, it's a solid start in making our connected homes a bit safer from digital ne'er-do-wells. Home devices and cellphone (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Kurts key takeawaysThe U.S. Cyber Trust Mark is a game-changer for you and me as consumers in our hyper-connected world. Let's face it: Understanding device security can be a headache. But this program cuts through the tech jargon, giving us clear, easy-to-grasp info about the gadgets we're considering bringing into our homes.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHow do you think the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark will impact your future purchasing decisions for smart home devices? Will you actively look for this label when shopping for new gadgets? Let us know what you think by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Warnings about power supply issues and the scarcity of suitable sites to build new server farms have led to persistent concerns about how sustainable the UK datacentre markets growth is, with demand for compute capacity in the London region increasingly outstripping supply.Real estate consultancy CBRE released figures in August 2024 that confirmed vacancy rates in the Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin (FLAPD) region reached an all-time low by the end of the first six months of the year. Last year also marked the fifth consecutive year that vacancy rates across FLAPD have declined.As acknowledged in CBREs accompanying report, London was the only region during the second quarter of 2024 to have a new supply of datacentre compute capacity come online, in the form of a 30MW facility in West London.With colocation and hyperscale providers looking to procure as much spare compute capacity as possible to serve the enterprise markets appetite for public cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) services, many more developments of this ilk will be needed.The new Labour government has acknowledged this since its election in July 2024 by making moves to lower the planning permission barriers that have stopped new datacentre developments coming online, particularly in London and the South East.The governments pre-election manifesto talked up the wider economic benefits of supporting the growth of the UK datacentre market, which gives some indication of the source of its pro-datacentre sentiment.Since coming to power, decisions made by the previous government to block large-scale datacentre developments from being built on protected green belt land have been overturned to free up large parcels of undeveloped land so that more hyperscale facilities can be built.In Whitehalls view, sacrificing large swathes of the countrys protected green spaces is a price worth paying to ensure the UKs datacentre market continues to grow and prosper.However, an alternative solution to meeting the growing need for new datacentres is being put forward by UK-based startup EdgeNebula, which involves converting existing pockets of disused commercial property and office spaces into micro-datacentres.These edge-like sites will be connected together to form an amorphous mass of compute capacity that can be collectively used to host cloud and AI workloads, according to EdgeNebula CEO Peter Hannaford. Were not looking to convert the [whole] building into a datacentre, he tells Computer Weekly. What were looking to do is distribute cloud and AI [workloads] using redundant real estate and power.Data from IT market watcher Synergy Research Group, published in January 2025, suggests the average size of a hyperscale datacentre is on the rise, as a direct result of the growing demand for generative AI (GenAI) workloads.So much so, Synergy is predicting that hyperscale datacentres will double in size over the next four years, which is not great news for operators already struggling to find sites in the UK large enough to accommodate hyperscale datacentre campus developments.In Hannafords view, the concept EdgeNebula is proposing is the answer to this problem, as it will enable operators to access the datacentre compute capacity they need in a much more eco-friendly way.This is because its datacentres will be housed in pre-existing sites, meaning the environmental cost involved in creating them is substantially lower than building a hyperscale facility from scratch.Read more about the UK datacentre industryThe UK government has unveiled its 50-point AI action plan, which commits to building sovereign artificial intelligence capabilities and accelerating AI datacentre developments but questions remain about the viability of the plans.The Labour government has wasted no time in lowering planning permission barriers to new datacentre builds, with its disclosure that two previously denied projects are being placed under review.On this point, Microsoft went public in October 2023 about the work its doing to reduce the amount concrete used to build its hyperscale datacentres as part of a wider body of work to become a carbon-negative entity by 2030.The buildings already exist, so we wont need to use concrete and generate huge amounts of carbon emissions to create our datacentres, says Hannaford. Well also be [linking our sites] up to district heating networks, and making the heat generated from our operations commercially available.The types of sites EdgeNebula is targeting will already be connected to local electricity grids, which will accelerate the time it takes to repurpose an office space into a datacentre, he said.Some operators are having to wait years to get regulatory approval for power supplies, says Hannaford, when there are pockets of stranded power attached to the disused commercial properties ready and waiting to be tapped into.While the government has committed to lowering the planning permission barriers to building datacentres in the UK, securing approval for projects can still take months. By repurposing underutilised urban real estate and stranded power, our AI-ready datacentres scale in weeks, reducing costs, minimising strain on the grid and avoiding disruption to natural landscapes, he adds.The other thing about what were doing is that you dont need planning permission to put a few racks in [an existing site].Industry veteran Hannaford launched EdgeNebula in November 2024, having previously chaired sector-specific recruitment firm Datacenter People until April 2020. While working there, he founded datacentre-focused executive search and strategy consultancy Portman Partners in 2018.That work involved finding the right people to work for the big datacentre operators, and we know how difficult that can be, but we also know the pressures operators face when trying to find the right location for their datacentres, too, he continues.As well as power and space, EdgeNebula will also take care of the cooling and connectivity requirements of its sites, but the responsibility for kitting them out will be on Abu Dhabi-based Maerifa Solutions.The two firms signed a strategic partnership in November 2024 that will see Maerifa supply the high-performance computing (HPC) hardware needed to run cloud and AI workloads in EdgeNebula environments.Since going public with its concept in November 2024, Hannaford claims to have received positive feedback on its vision from around the world. Weve had all sorts of inquiries in from potential investors, to people looking to get rid of their portfolios of empty real estate from all over the world, but [wholesale site conversions] are not what were looking to do, he reiterates.With analysts forecasting that hyperscale datacentres will need to get even bigger in size to accommodate the demand for public cloud and GenAI workloads, Hannaford is of the view that now is the time for the industry to rethink its approach to delivering these power-hungry workloads.This is particularly true in light of the UK governments recently announced AI opportunities action plan, which advocates creating designated zones where AI-ready datacentres will be built to meet this demand. The governments AI blueprint is an exciting step forward and the mission is to be applauded, he says. However, how we provide the datacentre capacity to achieve this goal is important.Referencing the overturning of Buckingham Councils decision to block a US-based company from building a 65,000m2 hyperscale datacentre in Iver, Buckinghamshire, by secretary of state Angela Rayner, Hannaford says this type of project simply is not necessary.There is currently over 30 million square feet of office space vacant in the UK today, and a similar amount of unused industrial space, he says. Weve also identified at least 1,000 sites with the power required for a network of smaller datacentres.Designed for sustainable AI growth, our approach aligns with the governments priorities while addressing the challenges of high startup costs and lengthy timelines associated with traditional hyperscale datacentres, says Hannaford.Its certainly a compelling proposition for a market that needs to urgently find new spaces to grow into, so for now its simply a case of watching and waiting to see if the industry takes him up on his offer.

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A hot potato: The close relationship between Donald Trump and Elon Musk has led to claims that the world's richest man and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will be getting his own West Wing office. However, when asked if the reports were accurate, Trump denied it. On Monday, The New York Times reported that Musk is likely to get a West Wing Office for DOGE. This contradicted earlier reports that the Tesla CEO was expected to have an office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is next to the West Wing.During a press conference on Monday night where he signed an executive order creating and implementing DOGE, Trump was asked directly if Musk would get a West Wing office."No," Trump replied. "He's getting an office for about 20 people that we're hiring to make sure these [executive orders] get implemented."Musk has reportedly been asking about his level of access at the White House. Sources say he has been given an all-access blue badge pass, which enables the holder to enter various parts of the buiding without having to go through the same level of security screening each time they enter the complex.DOGE has spent most of the last two months at SpaceX's Washington headquarters. Although it is not a federal executive department, DOGE aims to cut wasteful spending and unnecessary regulations, such as reducing the number of federal employees, abolishing some federal agencies, and improving governmental productivity by modernizing federal technology. Musk previously said he wanted $2 trillion cut from the US budget, though he's since backtracked and admitted that figure is unlikely to be achieved. // Related StoriesMusk's first move to cut government spending was shutting down the Chief Diversity Officers Executive Council.The executive order that established DOGE states that its purpose is to "modernize federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity." DOGE will replace the US Digital Service (USDS). Every federal department has to create a four-person team to liaise with the new office.Despite being a new entity, DOGE is already facing legal battles. It was hit with at least three lawsuits within minutes of Trump being sworn in. Public interest law firm National Security Counselors alleges that DOGE violates transparency requirements set by a law from 1972. Plaintiffs claim that DOGE should be considered a "federal advisory committee," but it lacks "fairly balanced" representation, does not keep records of its meetings, and is not open to public scrutiny.Vivek Ramaswamy was going to lead DOGE alongside Musk but he was removed, reportedly at the behest of Musk and members of Trump's inner circle.

In brief: Netflix is once again hitting customers with a round of price increases across most of its plans in the US, Canada, Portugal, and Argentina. While the bumps are marginal, they represent a general upward trend that began during the pandemic. The price increases go across the board, as detailed in the latest earnings report. The ad-supported tier is going up from $6.99 to $7.99 monthly. Then there's the standard ad-free option, which is seeing the biggest jump, climbing from $15.49 to $17.99 per month. The premium high tier is inflating from $22.99 to $24.99 monthly. These new rates will kick in during customers' next billing cycle.The new prices follow the hike from back in October 2023 and mark the first time the ad tier has seen an increase since its 2022 launch.Netflix says that the reason behind this bump is that it needs to charge a bit more so it can keep investing in new programming and "deliver more value" to subscribers.Despite these periodic hikes, some of which resulted in significant pushback from subscribers, the company racked up a staggering 300 million global subscribers over the last quarter its highest quarterly gain ever. Key drivers included the hugely popular "Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul" boxing event that pulled in 108 million viewers worldwide, making it the most streamed sporting event in history.Netflix also seems locked in on ramping up its live programming after impressive results with sports and entertainment events in late 2024. An example of this is the platform's first foray into live NFL games on Christmas, which was a hit with two games averaging 30 million global viewers each. // Related StoriesAdditionally, the return of Squid Game season 2 drew a massive 68 million viewers in its premiere week alone, becoming Netflix's biggest series launch ever. There was also the hit animated show "Arcane," which saw its second season become the most popular show on the platform in over 60 countries.All this has led to an operating income topping $10 billion for the first time. However, Netflix still sees massive growth potential: in a letter to investors, company executives pointed out that the platform accounts for less than 10% of total TV viewing in its markets, "suggesting a long runway" as streaming continues its worldwide expansion.Part of that growth strategy involves new offerings like the "Extra Member with Ads" plan. This tier lets ad-supported subscribers tack on an additional viewer outside their household for $7.99 monthly the same cost as adding an external member to the ad-free plans.

The Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses are just the beginning for Meta, if a new report detailing the companys hardware plan for the coming year is accurate. Meta apparently has multiple new smartglass projects and is working on other associated wearables to accompany them according to Bloombergs Mark Gurman.Prime amongst the line-up is a possible partnership with Oakley, which like Ray-Ban is a brand under the EssilorLuxottica umbrella, for a device codename Supernova 2. Unlike the Ray-Ban Meta, the Oakley Meta will have a central camera and be designed for cyclists and other activity sports enthusiasts. The design is potentially based on the existing, visor-style Oakley Sphaera, (pictured above) and therefore not really made as an everyday pair of smartglasses. The Supernova 2s specialized design mean they have the potential to tap into a highly motivated, and very different set of buyers compared to the Ray-Ban models.Recommended VideosThe Oakley Meta smartglasses wont stop Meta from developing the Ray-Ban Meta range. In addition to releasing the existing pair in more countries, it apparently intends to launch a follow-up product codename Hypernova. The big feature change will be the addition of a screen in one of the lenses, where notifications, apps, and photo previews will be shown. However, this will also likely mean a big increase in cost, with a $1,000 price tag predicted. You can buy a pair of Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses today, without a screen, from $299.Please enable Javascript to view this contentInterestingly Meta is also testing companion wearables to help operate the Hypernova smartglasses. A wristband codename Ceres has been designed to replace the touch controls on the arm of the smartglasses, while a more complex smartwatch-like wearable with a screen is also being developed.The report also provides an update on the Orion prototype AR smartglasses already teased by the company, which will be sent to developers in 2026, and then the technology will form the basis of a consumer prior of smartglasses codename Artemis for release in 2027.Currently the Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses dont have many major competitors, but companies are working on compelling alternatives. Digital Trends spoke to Halliday at CES 2025 about its smartglasses, which feature a tiny screen on the inside of the frame, for example. Meta clearly doesnt want its market advantage to disappear, based on these exciting plans.Editors Recommendations

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