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ARTICLE · 16 FEBRUARY 2026

FCC Urges Communications Providers To Strengthen Ransomware Defenses

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On January 29, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission's ("FCC" or the "Commission") Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau...

United StatesTechnology
Rajesh De
Rajesh De
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On January 29, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission's ("FCC" or the "Commission") Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued a Public Notice (DA 26-96) to highlight best practices that communications providers can implement to defend against ransomware attacks. The guidance comes in response to a significant increase in ransomware incidents affecting the communications sector—including a four-fold increase in attacks since 2021—and recent incidents involving small-to-medium sized communications providers that disrupted service, exposed sensitive information, and locked providers out of critical files.

While the Public Notice does not impose new regulatory requirements, it addresses best practices for preventing ransomware attacks, guidance on responding to an attack, existing reporting obligations, and resources available through the FCC's Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC).

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