FCC rolls back cybersecurity rules for telcos, despite state-hacking risks

The FCC has withdrawn a January 2025 declaratory ruling and accompanying NPRM that would have required U.S. telecom carriers to implement and certify cybersecurity risk-management plans, following lobbying by carriers; the article recalls the Salt Typhoon espionage campaign disclosed in October 2024 that allegedly breached several major carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Lumen, Charter, Consolidated, Windstream), accessed core wiretapping systems, and potentially intercepted highly sensitive government communications, and notes criticism from officials who warn the rollback weakens national security protections.