FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared with her colleagues proposed actions to bolster the security of the nation’s public alert and warning systems, specifically Wireless Emergency Alerts and the Emergency Alert System. If adopted by a vote of the full Commission, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would seek comment on requiring wireless providers to take steps to ensure that only valid alerts are displayed on consumer devices.
Also up for discussion is possibly mandating wireless providers that participate in Wireless Emergency Alerts and EAS participants to annually certify they have cybersecurity risk management plans. They would also certify they employ sufficient security measures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their alerting systems.
“It is critical that these public safety systems are secure against cyber threats, which means that we must be proactive,” said Rosenworcel. “The draft proposals shared today will help ensure that our national alerting systems work as intended during emergencies and the public can trust the warnings they receive.”
The FCC would also invite public comment on ways to improve the operational readiness of EAS, including the amount of time that broadcasters, cable providers, and other EAS participants may operate before repairing defective EAS equipment. Also on the table is whether to mandate that EAS participants report compromises of their EAS equipment.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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