U.S. Telecom Firms Strengthen Cybersecurity Collaboration

Eight of the nation’s leading communications companies including AT&T (NYSE: T), Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR), Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA), Cox, Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN), T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS), Verizon (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ), and Zayo, a DigitalBridge Group (NYSE: DBRG) fiber portfolio company, have established the Communications Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Analysis Center, known as C2 ISAC. The new non-profit is dedicated to strengthening cybersecurity and enhancing information exchange than previously possible within government-affiliated groups.

Cyber threats such as China’s Salt Typhoon espionage operation, have grown more sophisticated and complex, and they are evolving rapidly with Artificial Intelligence. The founding companies say this environment underscores the need to reassess and strengthen the sector’s frameworks for faster, more actionable information sharing.

The founding members formed C2 ISAC because no single company has full visibility into every threat or can address every risk alone. By sharing resources, expertise, and real-time intelligence, C2 ISAC aims to help its members anticipate, identify, and respond to cyber threats more quickly and effectively. 

Valerie Moon, newly-appointed C2 ISAC executive director, has extensive experience in cybersecurity, homeland security and public-private cooperation, including leadership roles at CISA, the FBI and other key cyber organizations. The eight founding companies will make up the initial Board of Directors, comprising each company’s chief information security officer. Moon will oversee day-to-day operations.

“The C2 ISAC will strengthen individual member organizations and support the resilience of the nation’s critical communications infrastructure,” Moon said. 

C2 ISAC expects operations to begin in June.

By John Celentano, Inside Towers Business Editor