Ofcom to Boost UK Telecoms Security by Working with Key Countries

The UK communications, internet and media regulator, Ofcom, has today announced that they’ve agreed to work “more closely” with their counterparts in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The move aims to “strengthen the security and resilience of telecoms networks” and tackle consumer-facing risks from scams and fraud.

The position has been reflected in a new Joint Statement, which was agreed this week at a meeting of international partners hosted by Ofcom. The need for something like this flows from the fact that many crimes, such as those carried out online or via the phone, often reach across borders from a base in different countries.

The new partnership commits Ofcom, the Federal Communications Commission (US); Innovation, Science, and Economic Development (Canada); the Department of Home Affairs (Australia); and the National Cyber Security Centre (New Zealand) to strengthen cooperation in the telecoms sector and “deter malicious actors and safeguard the integrity of communications infrastructure“.

The move should also complement yesterday’s announcement (here) of new landmark Telecommunications Charter, which was agreed between several of the UK’s leading broadband, mobile and phone providers – pushing for a “crack down on scam calls and fraud“ (BT / EE, Virgin Media / O2, VodafoneThree, Tesco Mobile, TalkTalk, Sky (Sky Broadband) and Comms Council UK).

The commitments:

Enhanced cooperation on network reliability, integrity and security. This will include efforts to prevent the misuse of telecoms resources, such as Global Titles – special numbers used by mobile networks to send and receive signalling messages – while recognising different international contexts.

Information sharing on emerging threats and fraud techniques, such as SMS blasters, and the risks and opportunities arising from the growing use of artificial intelligence in telecoms.

Promotion of best practices in network defence. This can be through cooperation and signposting to international standards, such as those related to Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs), which are dedicated computing arrangements set up for work that requires high levels of security, where appropriate. It will also include more collaboration on supply chain security, including subsea cable infrastructure and radio frequency devices where appropriate.