FCC Announcement Targets SS7 and Diameter Vulnerabilities Used by Foreign Surveillance Firms to Spy on Journalists, Government Officials

March 31, 2024 - Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., last week applauded the Federal Communications Commission and Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel for requesting public comments on the effectiveness of industry’s efforts to protect Americans against unwanted spying over wireless phone networks. 

The announcement comes in response to a request by Sen. Wyden last month for the Biden Administration to plug well-known weaknesses in America's phone networks, referred to as SS7 or Diameter, and prevent foreign spies from remotely tracking and monitoring individuals over wireless networks. 

"Thanks to Chairwoman Rosenworcel for listening to my request to protect Americans' phones from foreign governments and mercenary hackers that exploit wireless companies' weak cybersecurity,” Wyden said. “America needs to ramp up our defenses against mercenary surveillance companies that help foreign dictators threaten U.S. national security, human rights and journalists working to expose wrongdoing. I look forward to working with the FCC to secure America's phone networks through mandatory minimum cybersecurity standards." 
Source: Senator Ron Wyden