New laws have been rolled out to protect Lloyds Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland customers. Manufacturers will be banned from having weak, easily guessable default passwords like ‘admin’ or ‘12345’ and if there is a common password the user will be promoted to change it on start-up.
The Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said this will help prevent threats like the damaging Mirai attack in 2016 which saw 300,000 smart products compromised due to weak security features. Since then, similar attacks have occurred on UK banks including Lloyds and RBS leading to disruption to customers.
Speaking about the incoming changes, Science and Technology Minister Viscount Camrose said: “As everyday life becomes increasingly dependent on connected devices, the threats generated by the internet multiply and become even greater.
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“From today, consumers will have greater peace of mind that their smart devices are protected from cyber criminals, as we introduce world-first laws that will make sure their personal privacy, data and finances are safe. We are committed to making the UK the safest place in the world to be online and these new regulations mark a significant leap towards a more secure digital world.”
Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, Rocio Concha said: “Which? has been instrumental in pushing for these new laws which will give consumers using smart products vital protections against cyber criminals looking to launch hacking attacks and steal their personal information.
“The OPSS [Office for Product Safety and Standards] must provide industry with clear guidance and be prepared to take strong enforcement action against manufacturers if they flout the law, but we also expect smart device brands to do right by their customers from day one and ensure shoppers can easily find information on how long their devices will be supported and make informed purchases.”
