S’pore joins multinational effort to create common cyber-security labelling scheme for smart devices

Singapore has joined 10 other nations in committing to create a common labelling scheme for smart devices, which aims to provide tiered reference to security levels that can guide consumers into making informed decisions.

- Sarah Koh

The Global Cybersecurity Labelling Initiative (GCLI, which applies to Internet of Thing (IoT) devices such as WiFi routers and security cameras, will also help manufacturers easily navigate compliance requirements across multiple markets.

On Oct 23, the third day of Singapore International Cyber Week, representatives from 11 nations gathered to endorse the initiative. The nations are Singapore, Brunei, Australia, South Korea, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Finland, Hungary, Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada.

With more than 75 billion devices expected to be connected worldwide by 2030, security frameworks must evolve as rapidly as the attack surface expands, said Singapore’s deputy commissioner of cyber security Chua Kuan Seah, during his opening address at the joint statement event.

“Consumers struggle to assess device security while manufacturers navigate compliance requirements across multiple markets,’ said Mr Chua, who is also deputy chief executive of development at the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA).

The stakes are “real and immediate”, he said. Mr Chua cited Operation Da Maque, which saw law enforcement uncover and dismantle a network of devices that had been hijacked. The operation was reportedly conducted by US officials in 2024 against Chinese state-sponsored hackers.

Earlier in 2025, hacker group Akira exploited a surveillance camera to conduct a ransomware attack on an unnamed organisation.