The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) has requested comment on communications service providers’ implementation of certain security countermeasures to prevent exploitation of vulnerabilities in the Diameter and Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocols to track the location of consumers via their mobile devices. The SS7 and Diameter protocols play a crucial role in U.S. telecommunications infrastructure by supporting fixed and mobile service providers in processing and routing calls and text messages between networks and enabling interconnection between fixed and mobile networks. Recently, reports have suggested that bad actors target SS7 to obtain subscribers’ location information. Diameter, which provides the same services as SS7, may present similar vulnerabilities. Comments on security countermeasures are due April 26, 2024, and reply comments are due May 28, 2024.
