NSTAC Affirms Administration’s 5G Urgency

The National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee has reaffirmed the administration's pursuit of next-generation telecommunications through software-based solutions. Josh Steinmen, deputy assistant to the president for cybersecurity, said that the White House considers 5G a top priority and is working to create common engineering standards and open, virtualized networks. He also highlighted timing systems, the cyber workforce, malicious attacks, election security and vulnerability disclosure as White House priorities, Nextgov reported. Attorney General William Barr previously dismissed the effort as inutile and demanded more immediate action. Bradford Willke, a department director at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, promoted legislation that would allow his agency to subpoena internet providers for information on infrastructure owners with vulnerabilities.