This is probably a good idea. Such audits and attestations are already required for medical, commerce, and government data systems, to guard against data breaches. For example, I just completed a PCI audit of a department store chain, which handles lots of sensitive financial information belonging to its customers and employees. These audits routinely identify vulnerabliities before they get exploited.

It's amazing that telcos and ISPs have managed to escape formal governance this long!

  -mel
From: NANOG <nanog-bounces+mel=beckman.org@nanog.org> on behalf of John Curran <jcurran@arin.net>
Sent: Tuesday, December 10, 2024 2:29 PM
To: nanog <nanog@nanog.org>
Subject: Re: Chairman of Senate Intelligence Committee calls salt typhoon "worst telecom hack in our nation's history"
 
NANOGers - 

As followup on the Salt Typhoon matter, it’s worth noting that in response to the hack there are now proposals at the FCC and at the US Senate that would require attestation, certification, and/or audits of telecommunications providers cybersecurity practices –

FCC - https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/fcc-chair-proposes-cybersecurity-rules-response-chinas-salt-typhoon-telecom-hack-2024-12-05/

US Senate - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/wyden-proposes-bill-to-secure-us-telecoms-after-salt-typhoon-hacks/

FYI,
/John

John Curran
President and CEO
American Registry for Internet Numbers

On Nov 25, 2024, at 4:58 PM, Eric Kuhnke <eric.kuhnke@gmail.com> wrote:

Re: compromise of lawful intercept / CALEA related features:
Original URL: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/11/21/salt-typhoon-china-hack-telecom/

The hackers, part of a group dubbed Salt Typhoon, have been able to listen in on audio calls in real time and have in some cases moved from one telecom network to another, exploiting relationships of “trust,” said Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Virginia), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a former telecom venture capitalist. Warner added that intruders are still in the networks.