{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-presses-biden-administration-to-secure-us-wiretapping-systems-following-reported-hack", "Wyden Presses Biden Administration to Secure U.S. Wiretapping Systems Following Reported Hack", "2024-10-11", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", "wyden", "https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "Wyden Calls out Lack of FCC Security Rules, Lax Cybersecurity by Telephone Companies and DOJ Failure to Hold Negligent Companies Accountable\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., pressed the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to stop hackers from breaching U.S. telephone and broadband companies\u2019 wiretapping systems by setting mandatory security standards and doing more to hold companies accountable for negligent cybersecurity, in a letter today.\n\nWyden\u2019s letter follows a report by The Wall Street Journal last week that suspected-Chinese government hackers may have breached major U.S. phone and broadband companies' wiretapping systems, including AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen Technologies. This breach could allow China to identify targets of U.S. government surveillance and spy on Americans.\n\nIn the letter to FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel and DOJ Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Wyden wrote, \u201cThe recently reported hack of U.S. telecommunications companies\u2019 wiretapping systems should serve as a major wake-up call to the government. The outdated regulatory framework and DOJ\u2019s failed approach to combating cyberattacks by protecting negligent corporations must be addressed. The security of our nation's communications infrastructure is paramount, and the government must act now to rectify these longstanding vulnerabilities.\u201d\n\nThe Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) was enacted in 1994 to require phone companies to install and secure wiretapping systems, but the government never adopted mandatory cybersecurity standards. Cybersecurity experts warned that building wiretapping technologies into phone and internet companies would create vulnerabilities that would be prime targets for hackers and intelligence services. However, the FBI and FCC have both dismissed experts\u2019 concerns over these cyber risks, resulting in serious harm to national security.\n\nWyden requested the FCC to:\n\nInitiate a rulemaking process to update the CALEA regulations to fully implement the system security requirements in the law.\n\nEstablish baseline cybersecurity standards for telecommunications carriers, enforced by steep fines.\n\nRequire independent, annual third-party cybersecurity audits.\n\nRequire board-level cybersecurity expertise.\n\nRequire senior executives annually sign certifications of compliance with the cybersecurity standards.\n\nWyden requested DOJ to:\n\nRecognize the failure of its current approach to combating cyberattacks.\n\nHold negligent corporations accountable rather than shielding and hiding information on data breaches from Congress, investors, and the public.\n\nShare information on corporate cyber negligence with federal regulators that have the authority to force the companies to address these security lapses.\n\nPrioritize corporate accountability for negligent cybersecurity over prosecuting foreign hackers who are almost never brought to justice.\n\nThe text of the letter is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-presses-biden-administration-to-secure-us-wiretapping-systems-following-reported-hack"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4362959191203117, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}