Telcos pressed for answers on Salt Typhoon breach

Both AT&T and Verizon had their chief executives urged by Senate Commerce Committee's top Democrat Maria Cantwell of Washington to appear before Congress to address a Chinese state-backed threat operation Salt Typhoon's infiltration of U.S. telecommunications networks more than a year ago, reports CyberScoop.

Despite repeated efforts to obtain explanations on how Salt Typhoon had breached their networks, as well as measures taken to prevent a recurrence, AT&T and Verizon have been uncooperative, said Cantwell in a letter to committee chair Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Hearings are necessary so the committee can "hear directly from the CEOs of AT&T and Verizon so Americans have clarity and confidence about the security of their communications," Cantwell noted.

Congress has yet to pass legislation addressing the issue, and several oversight efforts have been rolled back, including the stoppage of a Department of Homeland Security investigation into the breaches. Cantwell also highlighted that the Federal Communications Commission pulled back late-stage rules that would have required telecom companies to improve their cybersecurity and regularly report on their security practices.