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a photo of Ron Wyden in the Senate speaking to a reporter on April 8, 2025

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popular Sen. Ron Wyden has put a hold on theTrump administration ’s nomination of Sean Plankeyto head the federal authorities ’s top cybersecurity agency , name a “ multi - twelvemonth concealment up ” of security flaws at U.S. telecommunication companies .

Wyden said in remark , watch by TechCrunch and substantiate by the senator ’s representative , that he will block the nomination of Plankey to answer as theater director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ( CISA ) until the agency tally to release a 2022 - date unclassified written report it commissioned detailing protection weakness across the U.S. telecommunication connection .

Senate formula allow for any answer senator to unilaterally and indefinitely hold up a Union nominating address . As observe by Reuters , which was first to report Wyden ’s hold on Plankey ’s nominating speech , lawmakers often use nomination holds — or the terror of a hold — to demand concessions from the executive branch .

Scott McConnell , a voice for CISA , cite gossip to the White House , which did not return TechCrunch ’s request for comment .

In remarks slated for Wednesday , Wyden — who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee — said his staff members were previously permit to read the unclassified account but that efforts to publically release its findings were refused . Wyden enjoin he appealed to then - CISA Director Jen Easterly as well as then - President Joe Biden to release the report prior to the change in political science .

Wyden said the report is a “ expert document containing actual info about U.S. telecom security … as such , this report contains of import factual information that the public has a right hand to see , ” he tally .

“ CISA ’s multi - year cover up of the sound party ’ negligent cybersecurity has material consequences , ” said Wyden , referring to the widespread hacking of U.S. phone companies by Formosan spy know as Salt Typhoon , revealed last twelvemonth .

Wyden said the hacks , which earmark the hacker to snoop on call and text subject matter of senior American officials , were “ the lineal result of U.S. speech sound carrier ’ failure to follow cybersecurity best practices … and Union agencies fail to hold these companionship accountable . ”

Soon after the Salt Typhoon hacks , Wydenintroduced legislationaimed at requiring phone companies to implement specific cybersecurity requirements , do annual examination , and more .

“ The federal governance still does not require U.S. phone company to meet minimal cybersecurity standards , ” Wyden said in his comment Wednesday .