FCC Fumbles Again: New Cybersecurity Bill Fights Telecom Hack Chaos
The Secure American Communications Act targets Salt Typhoon’s cyberespionage by mandating telecom firms follow FCC cybersecurity protocols. This includes annual audits and vulnerability tests. With the FCC’s new draft ruling, telecom companies must secure wiretap systems immediately, ensuring foreign spies no longer infiltrate American communications networks.
Hot Take:
Well, it looks like the FCC has finally woken up from its cybersecurity slumber. With Chinese cyber spies playing peek-a-boo in our telecom systems, it’s about time we stopped letting phone companies play the game of “Who Wants to Be a Security Millionaire” with their very own self-written rules. The “Secure American Communications Act” aims to give the FCC the backbone it needs to enforce cybersecurity protocols, rather than just politely asking telecom giants to play nice. In other words, the FCC’s new motto could be “Time to FCC-ourity measures up!”
Key Points:
- The Secure American Communications Act mandates telecom providers to follow FCC-devised cybersecurity protocols, with input from CISA and DNI.
- Telecoms must conduct annual vulnerability testing and independent audits, reporting compliance issues to the FCC.
- The bill responds to a Chinese cyberespionage group’s hack, dubbed Salt Typhoon, affecting multiple telecom providers.
- FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed immediate network security measures for housing wiretap requests.
- Current voluntary cybersecurity measures have proved inadequate, with calls for mandatory minimum cyber requirements.