Commentary: Robocalls are a different kind of cyberattack

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, file photo, Jen Vargas looks at a call log displayed via an AT&T app on her cellphone at her home in Orlando, Fla. The app helps locate and block fraudulent calls, although some robocalls still get through. On Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules giving phone companies greater authority to block automated messages known as robocalls from reaching customers. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File) The U.S. is under a different sort of cyberattack — one that ultimately could be just as damaging and threatening as recent attacks on financial institutions and infrastructure that occurred over the internet. This threat, though not new, is the growing proliferation of robocalls within our telecommunications infrastructure.

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