Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon announced he would block the nomination of Sean Plankey to head CISA. Wyden’s move is linked to the agency’s refusal to release a 2022 report on U.S. telecommunications security. The senator argues that the report documents serious flaws in cybersecurity practices at telecom companies. Wyden has been pressing CISA since 2022 to make the report public, calling the agency’s failure a “multi-year cover-up.”
The report reportedly contains critical technical information about U.S. telecom security, which Wyden insists the public has a right to see.
CISA claims the report is protected under “deliberative process privilege,” a stance Wyden deems invalid. He argues the document does not discuss policy options, but instead focuses on factual security issues. Wyden believes the public should have access to it to better understand ongoing threats and the need for stronger protections.
Wyden’s hold on Plankey’s nomination follows the Salt Typhoon hack, which exposed severe security vulnerabilities in U.S. telecom systems. This attack, attributed to Chinese hackers, breached phone companies and stole sensitive data. The hack compromised government communications, including those of U.S. officials, further highlighting the risk posed by telecom cybersecurity failures.
Wyden attributes these failures to telecom companies’ neglect in following cybersecurity best practices, including lacking multi-factor authentication.
The senator has pushed for stricter regulations and has introduced legislation requiring phone companies to meet minimum cybersecurity standards. Despite ongoing challenges, Wyden maintains that CISA’s inaction has led to harmful national security risks. The lack of accountability for telecom providers is a central issue Wyden wants to address. His hold on Plankey’s nomination is part of his broader effort to force CISA to prioritize telecom security and transparency.
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