Brendan Kerr warns that the threat from the Chinese Communist Party remains a major concern in US communications equipment.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Kerr told lawmakers that the threat from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) remains a major concern in US communications equipment.
Carr warned members of the House Budget Subcommittee on Financial Services at a May 21 hearing that despite work to remove Chinese equipment from the US network, there was still much work to be done.
Rip and replace
In 2021, at the start of the RIP and exchange program, $1.9 billion was allocated to repay US telecommunications airlines to remove and replace network equipment manufactured by Chinese-based companies.
The former FCC chairman said at the time, “The two companies have close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese military equipment, and the two companies are widely covered by Chinese law.
“The Chinese Communist Party cannot exploit network vulnerabilities and compromise critical communications infrastructure.
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At the time, regulators said the company would be “subject to exploitation, impact and control by the Chinese government,” and it was “very likely” to comply with Beijing’s orders.
Previous Law
President Joe Biden We have signed the 2021 Secure Equipment Act to protect domestic communication systems through restrictions on companies that pose potential security threats. The law prohibits companies from hostile countries from receiving new equipment licenses from US regulators.
More Threats
According to Carr, the ongoing threat from CCP is “multi-faceted” and is a bigger problem than mere physical infrastructure.
The FCC chairman cited previous actions to block Chinese-related providers, such as China’s mobile and Chinese communications, as important, but said cybersecurity threats, such as intrusions by Chinese hacking group Volt Typhoon, still have potential risks.
According to Carr, “We need to be very vigilant about all technology vectors now.”
In addition to the RIP and replacement programs, FCC Head said his agency is working to block other potential intrusions from hostile countries, including changes to the equipment approval program.
He explained that technology entering the US must check compliance with standards such as spectral use and power levels. Under his leadership, changes have been made to ensure that the labs that check them are not compromised.
“We are seeking national security checks as part of the devices that come in…
Carr went on to say that “labs that test devices are “adopting new standards” to “ensure that they are not seen by any foreign enemy themselves.”
