The top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee called on the Federal Communications Commission to abandon plans to rescind cybersecurity requirements adopted after the massive Salt Typhoon Chinese hacking incident that infiltrated U.S. telecom companies last year.
Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington urged FCC Chair Brendan Carr to drop the plan to vote to rescind the ruling issued in January, which found that federal law requires telecommunications carriers to secure networks from unlawful access to or interception of communications. The ruling also said that carriers could be in breach if they failed to adopt certain cybersecurity practices.
A spokesperson for Carr, who was appointed by President Trump, did not immediately comment. In January, when the FCC was led by Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel, the agency also issued a proposed rule that sought comment on specific cybersecurity requirements.
Senator Ben Ray Lujan, a Democrat from New Mexico, has said China's alleged efforts likely represent "the largest telecommunications hack in our nation's history." Hackers targeted telecom companies such as Verizon, AT&T, Lumen and others. The Chinese government has denied responsibility. Read more from David Shepardson.
