Cybersecurity

FCC leaders skirt call for wiretap security reform, hope to ‘go deeper’ on telecom breach briefings

Lawmakers have called on the agency to take up a rulemaking to rethink wiretapping laws amid the hacks that have ensnared several telecom companies, but top FCC officials have not signaled any forthcoming action yet.

Cybersecurity

Intelligence community briefed Congress on Chinese telecom intrusions

It’s believed the hackers, dubbed Salt Typhoon, accessed call records on numerous Americans, including officials and staff affiliated with President-elect Trump.

Cybersecurity

Chinese telecom breaches won’t sway election outcomes, CISA chief says

The top U.S. cyber defense agency has seen “no evidence of activity that has the potential to materially impact the outcome of the presidential election,” Jen Easterly said Monday.

Cybersecurity

DHS cyber review board to investigate Chinese hack of US telecoms as victim net widens

U.S. government officials and staff on both major presidential campaigns were targeted. One former intelligence official called the breaches “really concerning.”

Cybersecurity

It’s time to rethink how wiretaps work after Chinese hack, experts say

The FCC sought a briefing from national security officials about the infiltration that was reported last Friday, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Cybersecurity

T-Mobile to pay fines, pledges to up upgrade cybersecurity after repeat data breaches

The telecom giant will pay $15.75 million to the Department of Treasury and front an additional $15.75 million for cybersecurity improvements and compliance.

Digital Government

FCC to vote on georouting for suicide and crisis lifeline calls

The FCC plans to vote on rules during its Oct. 17 open meeting that would require all U.S. wireless carriers to implement georouting for calls to the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline.

Digital Government

Acting Secret Service head suggests that better tech could have thwarted would-be Trump assassin

Ronald Rowe Jr. told a Senate panel that additional cellular bandwidth and the use of counter-drone technology could have averted the attempted assassination of former President Trump.

Cybersecurity

In reversal, AT&T says most FirstNet customers impacted in data breach disclosed last week

“We now believe the proportion of FirstNet numbers included in the data is similar to that of our broader customer base,” the company said in a statement.

Cybersecurity

Dozens of federal agencies’ call data potentially exposed in AT&T breach

AT&T is a prime contractor on the government's $50 billion telecom contract vehicle and supplies infrastructure and bandwidth for the FirstNet public safety communications program.

Cybersecurity

Return of net neutrality will hamstring some foreign broadband firms, FCC official says

The reclassification of broadband as a Title II service will give the Federal Communications Commission new power over internet service providers, and the agency says it will be a boon to U.S. network security.

Cybersecurity

2 wireless protocols expose mobile users to spying — the FCC wants to fix that

The protocols are a cornerstone of wireless communications but may contain flaws that enable hackers to tap into Americans’ mobile activities, the agency says.

Cybersecurity

FCC gives telecom companies 7 days to alert authorities of discovered data breaches

The FCC has been taking sweeping steps to harden data breach rules to protect telecom customers’ data.

Ideas

A looming public safety crisis that government IT can avert

The end of copper telephone lines could spell trouble for the delivery of emergency services.

Acquisition

DOJ tees up infrastructure program management recompete

The Justice Department is conducting market research for a potential $75 million recompete contract to provide enterprise infrastructure services support within the CIO's office.

Acquisition

Agencies aren't hitting disconnection targets under EIS

Some agencies may have to exercise "continuity of service" contract clauses to keep phones, internet and other network services online beyond the May 2023 deadline.

Modernization

HUD makes nearly $100M in EIS task orders

The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued three substantial task orders on the governmentwide Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract.

Modernization

Can DISA's CBII make DOD telework more secure?

Cloud-Based Internet Isolation is a seamless solution for protecting DOD networks.

Modernization

A single platform for the Fourth Estate

2021 is a big year for DISA as it begins moving all DOD components to a single services network.

Modernization

Sunsetting CVR but keeping the collaboration

Commercial Virtual Remote, spun up last year to support pandemic telework, goes away this summer. DISA's Global Directory is the key to ensuring the cloud collaboration continues.