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As the United States seeks to remove China from its diplomatic relations, Jessica Rosenworcel, the outgoing Democratic Party chairwoman. Federal Communications Commissionhe says it’s important that his Republican successor keep a strong grip on the telecommunications industry.
The government is still with the Chinese “Salt Typhoon” destruction campaign which penetrated at least nine US companies and gave Beijing access to American phone and text messages and government wiretapping. The operation destroyed the strongest defenses of the US carriers, including AT&T administrator account which had no primary protection.
In order to avoid a repeat of the unprecedented telecom intrusion, Rosenworcel used the waning days of his FCC presidency to propose new proposals for Internet security for telecom users. Thursday, Commission he voted narrowly to accept his request. But the rules face a grim future, as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office and direct the FCC’s transfer of Commissioner Brendan Carr, a Trump ally who voted against Rosenworcel’s plan.
In the days before Trump’s inauguration, Mr. Rosenworcel is convinced that law enforcement is part of the answer to America’s security challenges. And he has a tough message for Republicans who think the answer is to leave the telecoms police alone.
He said: “We are dealing with what people say is the worst telecommunications problem in the history of our country. “You either act fast or you don’t.”
“What to do”
The Rosenworcel system it consists of two steps. First, the FCC announced that the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), which required telecom companies to make their phones and Internet systems compatible with wiretaps, also required them to use basic cyber security to prevent interception. Then, the FCC decided to require most of the companies regulated by the agency to develop detailed plans to manage cyber threats and to demonstrate annually that they are being implemented.
The outgoing chairman describes the legislation as a commonsense response to a destructive attack.
“In the United States in 2025, it may surprise many consumers to learn that our networks lack minimal cybersecurity standards,” Rosenworcel said. “We’re asking carriers to make a plan and make sure they follow that plan. That’s the right thing to do.”
Without these standards, he adds, “our networks will lack the protection they will need from these kinds of international threats in the future.”
But Republicans won’t pass new regulations on telecom networks. Powerful telecom companies tend to strongly oppose any new regulations, and Republicans almost always side with the companies in these debates.
Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican who is now chairman of the Commerce Committee, called Rosenworcel’s plan “a great Band-Aid and a cover-up for a very blind spot.” during the listening session in December.
Carr-who last month called Salt Storm “high impact” – voted against Rosenworcel’s proposal, along with fellow Republican director Nathan Simington. Carr’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the new rules. But he said repeated criticism Rosenworcel’s approach to regulating the telecom industry, accusing him of overreach and warning that the FCC must defend itself or be thrown out by the courts.
