With cyber attacks occurring every 11 seconds around the globe and the threat becoming more acute in Europe, the European Commission is reacting with a response. A new plan called the Cyber Security Act was unveiled in Brussels on Thursday.
“What we are doing with this Act is an alarm bell. Aggressors will continue to attack, but we have left the age of naivety behind. Now we are strong and ready to respond”, says Margaritis Schinas, EC vice president.
The response, a legally binding act, requires manufacturers of household items, from electronic containers to refrigerators, to apply cybersecurity rules or face millions in fines.
The idea is to protect consumers when digital products are becoming more and more part of everyday life.
“See this object? He comes from a great country. I’m not mentioning his name. But what is hidden behind this object? How can we be sure that there are no malicious intentions behind this normal article?”, says Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market.
Consumer organizations have welcomed the announcement.
“Such objects are in all apartments. I’m talking about smart door locks, smart doorbells, cameras that monitor minors, digital toys that connect to the network, or other products like washing machines and refrigerators. Everyone is connected to the network. But sometimes these objects are not safe and can turn into a problem for the consumer, for families, but also for our society and economy. This is because if something gets hacked, it can lead to a perversion of the infrastructure. Therefore, the fact that the Commission has put this proposal on the table is positive”, says Ursula Pachl, deputy director of the European Consumer Organization.
If EU countries and the European Parliament agree, it will take two years for the Cyber Security Act to become a reality.