Dem lawmakers renew calls for release of delayed telecom security report

"Wyden, in particular, has been calling for CISA to release the report since the Biden administration. In April, the senator said "CISA's multi-year cover up of the phone companies' negligent cybersecurity has real consequences," citing the discovery late last year of a Chinese espionage group's intrusions into U.S. and international telecommunications infrastructure. The hackers, known as Salt Typhoon, breached at least nine U.S. telecom providers and some of their systems that facilitate law enforcement's court-authorized wiretap requests, as well as dozens of other global providers."

""The continued suppression of a report identifying serious vulnerabilities of the U.S. telecommunications sector undermines the public's understanding of these threats and stymies an important public debate on a path forward to secure the U.S. telecommunications sector and protect the U.S. Government and all Americans who rely on that sector," the lawmakers wrote. Wyden, in particular, has been calling for CISA to release the report since the Biden administration."

Two Democratic senators pressed the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to publicly release a 2022 unclassified CISA report on telecommunications security vulnerabilities, calling it critically important to national security. The senators wrote that suppressing the report undermines public understanding and stymies debate on securing the telecommunications sector and protecting government and citizens. Senator Ron Wyden has repeatedly sought the report and linked the issue to discovery of intrusions by a Chinese espionage group. The group, Salt Typhoon, breached multiple U.S. telecom providers and targeted communications of high-profile political figures. Wyden has delayed a full Senate confirmation vote to pressure disclosure.

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