Simpson: Reconsider rip-and-replace program amid need to remediate SolarWinds breach

The potential damage from the SolarWinds hack is so extensive that policymakers should consider redirecting funding aimed at “rip-and-replace” toward eradicating risks from the latest widespread infiltration of government and industry systems, and more broadly addressing vulnerabilities among small and mid-sized Internet Service Providers, according to former FCC security chief David Simpson.

Addressing risks from Chinese equipment on rural and other telecom systems “should be one of the risk elements competing for funding, but that most likely would be lower...