Commerce Leaders See CSRIC Role in Examining 5G Security

House Commerce Committee leaders urged FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to use the Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council to closely examine 5G security. That issue was the subject of Capitol Hill interest earlier this year and will be the focus of Tuesday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing (see 1905080080). “As our U.S. network operators, from the largest to the smallest, gear up for significant infrastructure buildout for 5G and other advanced technologies, security should be a critical consideration and associated rules and regulations should be as clear as possible,” wrote four House Commerce leaders -- Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J.; committee ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore.; House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa.; and subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio -- just prior to Thursday's commissioners' meeting. “Although 5G security is apparently not an explicit focus of CSRIC VII, you have the opportunity to expand to additional issues as you so choose,” the lawmakers said. “We believe that policymakers and industry alike would benefit greatly from a thoughtful, careful consideration of these important issues by the FCC and CSRIC.” Pai said that he had previously asked CSRIC to look at 5G cybersecurity.