Rosenworcel Proposes Stronger Cybersecurity Rules After China-Backed Hack

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2024 – Federal regulators are taking steps to secure communications networks in the wake of a major breach by Chinese government-sponsored hackers.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is proposing new cybersecurity requirements for telecom providers as a response to the hack, the agency said Thursday.

Rosenworcel circulated both a declaratory ruling that would require telecoms to secure their networks from breaches or interception and a proposal that would seek comment on, among other things, an annual certification requirement. The declaratory ruling “clarifies that telecommunications carriers’ duties extend not just to the equipment they use but how they manage their networks,” according to the agency.