Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom Awards Cybersecurity Label to Contact Tracing App Koronavilkku

As Finnish homes increasingly adopt smart technologies, consumer use of online applications and connected devices is growing. The transmitted data, which is utilised in the provision of various services, can be protected against breaches and misuse by ensuring that these applications and connected devices such as smart TVs, routers and household appliances have an adequate level of information security.

Greater focus on secure smart devices among technology companies

“Over the past year, we have been happy to note that technology companies are placing increasing emphasis on the importance of information security in the context of consumer applications and smart home devices. Insecure smart devices can pose serious reputational risk, and businesses and consumers may suffer negative consequences as a result. The Cybersecurity Label was designed to raise awareness of information security among consumers and encourage the safe use of applications and devices", said acting NCSC-FI Deputy Director-General Sauli Pahlman.

Koronavilkku is a contact tracing app produced by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) to help individuals to find out whether they may have been exposed to coronavirus.

“We are extremely proud to have received this certification. The Cybersecurity Label is a fitting testament to the work done to ensure that the Koronavilkku application is information secure and safe for consumers to use”, said Aleksi Yrttiaho, Director of Information Services at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.

“Our aim is to make the Cybersecurity Label an appealing way for a growing number of developers and manufacturers to demonstrate to consumers the information security of their products. We are working to ensure that within the next few years, consumers will have a wide range of Cybersecurity Label certified home electronics products to choose from", Pahlman explained.

First foreign consumer brand certified

The information security of smart consumer devices is a global challenge, and while Europe has seen a number of initiatives designed to improve their security, Traficom is the first public authority to award a Cybersecurity Label to products meeting particular certification criteria. With the Cybersecurity Label, Finland is in the vanguard of European countries working towards more secure connected smart devices.

In addition to the Koronavilkku application, Traficom has awarded the Cybersecurity Label to Signify’s Philips Hue smart lighting solution, which is the first foreign consumer brand to receive the certification.

“A growing number of consumers are making the switch to smart home lighting, illustrating that the information security of smart devices is of crucial importance. As the world leader in smart home lighting, we are proud to have received the recognition from Traficom in Finland, granting us this Cybersecurity Label for our Philips Hue smart home lighting. Obtaining this label gives our consumers peace of mind when it comes to the security of installing our smart lighting in their homes," said Barbara Oosterveld, Corporate Product Security Manager at Signify.

Traficom's Cybersecurity Label turns one with several products already certified

First launched in November 2019, the Cybersecurity Label was developed as a pilot project by Traficom's National Cyber Security Centre Finland (NCSC-FI) in partnership with Cozify Oy, DNA Oyj and Polar Electro Oy. The certification criteria are based on the EN 303 645 standard.
The label has previously been awarded to the following smart products: The Cozify Hub smart home application; DNA's smart heating service Wattinen; Polar's Ignite, Vantage M and Vantage V fitness watches; LähiTapiola’s Elämänturva application; and the RuuviTag Bluetooth sensor.

For more information on the Cybersecurity Label and the certified products and services, see https://tietoturvamerkki.fi/en/