• July 10, 2026

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new rules aimed at modernizing the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and strengthening protections against cybersecurity threats.

The new requirements are designed to help prevent emergency alerting systems from being compromised by cybercriminals and foreign adversaries while preserving public trust in critical emergency communications.

Under the new rules, EAS participants will be required to implement several targeted cybersecurity measures, including the use of strong passwords, prompt testing and installation of manufacturer-issued security patches, and network firewalls or comparable security practices to better protect equipment from unauthorized access.

The FCC is also seeking public comment on additional proposals to improve the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts. Potential improvements include requiring authentication of alerts before transmission, establishing universal alert identification numbers to help prevent duplicate messages, and improving geographic targeting to reduce alerts being delivered to people outside affected areas.

Additional proposals would require EAS and WEA messages to display symbols corresponding with the type of emergency, allow certain EAS capabilities to be implemented through software rather than hardware, and eliminate outdated 90-character limits for WEA messages.

Together, these actions represent the FCC’s ongoing effort to strengthen the security, reliability, accuracy, and effectiveness of the nation’s emergency alerting infrastructure.

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Sources:

docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-422584A1.pdf