The CSCC was established and chartered in 2005 to help coordinate initiatives to improve the physical security and cybersecurity of sector assets; to ease the flow of information within the communications sector, across critical infrastructure sectors, and with designated federal agencies; and to address issues related to response and recovery following an incident or event.

READ THE CHARTER

Standing Committees

Administrative and Finance

Working Committees

Cybersecurity

Focuses on cyber initiatives and developments; provides technical advice; supports related activities and provides input to the Executive Committee on appropriate policy considerations.

Emerging Technologies

Focuses on the impact of the new and developing technologies, such as post-quantum cryptography, artificial intelligence, and machine learning on role, products, and services of the communications sector.

Infrastructure, 5G and 6G

Concentrates on initiatives and developments involving critical infrastructure for all segments of the communications sector with a specific focus on 5G and 6G.

Operational Coordination

Coordinates incident response, continuity of government, and information sharing initiatives with the Communications ISAC, ESF#2 (Communications), other ISACs, and government & industry partners.

Outreach, Plans, and Reports

Executes the CSCC’s outreach and education strategies using CSCC assets and capabilities to improve awareness of sector activities.

Small and Mid-size Business

Focuses on issues relevant to small and mid-sized communications companies.

Supply Chain

Focuses on security and risk management issues related to global supply chain of the communications sector.

The CSCC primarily engages with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) via the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC), a partnership between government and critical infrastructure owners and operators to engage in a broad spectrum of activities to support and coordinate critical infrastructure protection, including planning, coordination, security program implementation, operational activities related to critical infrastructure protection security measures, and information sharing about threats, vulnerabilities, protective measures, recommended practices, and lessons learned, as stated in the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP).

In the role of education and outreach, the CSCC works with a variety of federal entities, including but not limited to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The CSCC also periodically engages in education and outreach with state and local governments.

The CSCC also coordinates with industry participants in the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) and the Communications Information Sharing and Analysis Center (COMM-ISAC).

The Communications Sector increases the resilience of communications infrastructure through a variety of long-standing public-private partnerships (federal, state, local, tribal and international) to address cybersecurity and other matters of national security and emergency preparedness. 

The Communications Sector is composed of private sector organizations with business operations in the United States, including:

• Owners/operators of infrastructure used within the sector’s core networks, including broadcasting, cable, satellite, wireless, and wireline.
• Trade and other associations representing sector members on Homeland Security or CIP (Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR)) policy-related matters.
• Standards-setting bodies, manufacturers, suppliers, and vendors of communications equipment, software, and services in support of the core communications infrastructure.

Core Networks

The Communications Sector’s core networks are those that consist of high-capacity network elements enabling local, regional, nationwide, and international connectivity:

• Broadcasting: Broadcasting systems consist of free, over-the-air radio and television stations that offer analog and digital audio and video programming services and data services.
• Cable: Cable networks provide high-speed wired and wireless Internet access service, video programming service, and digital telephone service.
• Satellite: A platform launched into orbit to relay voice, video, or data signals as part of a telecommunications network.
• Wireless: Consists of cellular phones, paging, personal communication services, high-frequency radio, unlicensed wireless, and other commercial and private radio services.
• Wireline: Consists primarily of fiber optic and copper-based networks that carry the nation’s public phone traffic, wide and local area data traffic, as well as the nation’s Internet traffic.

History

The Communications Sector’s legacy dates back to the 1963 with the creation of the National Communications System (NCS), which President Kennedy established following the Cuban Missile Crisis to develop critical programs and plans to protect the nation’s communications infrastructure. This lengthy history distinguishes the Communications Sector from most other critical sectors. The strong bond between the sector and the federal government continues largely because of the CSCC and two other organizations that have been created in response to earlier threats to the nation’s critical infrastructure.

Working Together

In concert with DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), which serves as the Sector Risk Management Agency (SRMA) for the Communications Sector, NTSAC and NCC provide the policy, planning and operations framework necessary to address the nation’s communications priorities.

Policy

The National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) was created in 1982 and is comprised of up to 30 chief executives from major telecommunications companies, network service providers, information technology, defense contractors and aerospace companies. Through a deliberative process, NSTAC’s members provide the President with recommendations intended to assure vital telecommunications links through any event or crisis and to help the U.S. Government maintain a reliable, secure, and resilient national communications posture. Key areas of NSTAC’s focus include: strengthening national security; enhancing cyber security; maintaining the global communications infrastructure; assuring communications for disaster response; and addressing critical infrastructure interdependencies. 

Operations

The National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications (NCC) Communications Information Sharing and Analysis Center was created in 1984 as federal government and telecommunications industry officials identified the need for a joint mechanism to coordinate the initiation and restoration of national security and emergency preparedness telecommunications services. This organization’s partnership advances collaboration on operational issues on a 24 x 7 basis and coordinates NS/EP responses in times of crisis.

Since 2000, the Communications Information Sharing and Analysis Center (COMM-ISAC) comprised of 51 industry member companies, has facilitated the exchange of information among government and industry participants regarding vulnerabilities, threats, intrusions and anomalies affecting the telecommunications infrastructure. Weekly meetings of industry and government members are held to share threat and incident information. During emergencies, daily or more frequent meetings are held with industry and government members involved with the response effort.

Other initiatives

Members of the communications industry also participate voluntarily in a variety of other initiatives, including, but not limited to, the FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC), the National Security Information Exchange (NSIE), industry lead security organizations such as the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (M3AAWG) and a variety of other fora that share the goal of enhancing cybersecurity.