Huawei 5G: British spies believe risks can be managed

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According to a report by the Financial Times, the National Cyber ​​Security Center, part of the British intelligence service, has concluded the possibility of limiting the risks associated with the use of Huawei for the construction of wireless networks of new generation.

Huawei, the world's largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment, has been on the defensive in recent months. The US government has lobbied for the company's technology to be banned, claiming it could be used by China to spy on. Australia and New Zealand have already prevented mobile operators from using Huawei for 5G networks, and other governments, including the United Kingdom, are currently reviewing the situation.

Huawei has strongly denied that his equipment poses a security risk and has criticized the measures to block networks, calling them "irresponsible decisions" taken for political reasons. According to industry executives and analysts, US pressure on Huawei could delay the deployment of 5G networks in key markets, as the company is ahead of its competitors in the development of technology. .

The National Cybersecurity Center declined to comment on Monday the details of the Financial Times report, but said in a statement that it had "a unique oversight and understanding of Huawei's engineering and cybersecurity." ".

The intelligence agency plays an important role as part of a broad UK government security technology review that operators plan to use in the country's 5G networks.

"The review examines various options and will end in the spring, no decision has been made and any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate," said Monday the Department of Culture, Media and Laws. Sports in a statement.

A spokesman for Huawei said Monday that the company advocated an open dialogue on security.

"Cybersecurity is a problem that needs to be addressed in the whole sector," the spokesman said in a statement. "We remain focused on working with our customers to help them provide world-leading technology."

A potential flaw for the five eyes?

If the British government decides that Huawei equipment can be used for 5G, relations with Washington may deteriorate.

The United Kingdom is part of a close information-sharing alliance with the United States called Five Eyes, which also includes Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The approval of Huawei technology by a member of the group would compromise the US offensive against society.
The United States is increasing pressure on Europe to abandon Huawei

Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that the US was "very clear" with its security partners regarding the threat posed by Huawei and other Chinese telecom companies.

"We need to protect our critical telecommunications infrastructure, and the United States calls on all security partners to be vigilant and to reject any business that could compromise the integrity of our communications technology or our national security systems. ", said Mr Pence at the conference on security in Munich. .

The new 5G networks are designed to increase the speed of wireless internet on smartphones and allow more Internet-enabled devices to communicate more efficiently with each other. This could push forward projects such as smart cities in which connected cars can communicate with traffic systems.

A UK government oversight committee that oversees Huawei's UK operations warned last year that it could only provide "limited assurance" that telecommunications equipment society posed no threat to national security.

The control group also stated that "technical problems" had been identified in Huawei's engineering processes, resulting in "new risks for the UK telecommunications networks".

Huawei responded by pledging to invest $ 2 billion to address these issues by improving its software engineering capabilities. In a recent letter to UK lawmakers, the company said it could take up to five years before the upgrade shows "tangible results".

The UK could influence others

How Huawei's UK rates could influence the decisions of other governments that have stepped up control of the company's products, such as Germany.
United Kingdom, Telecom CEO: we have seen no reason for concern & # 39; on Huawei
BT Group (BT), which operates one of Britain's leading mobile operators, said in December that it would not use Huawei's equipment as part of its 5G network, which will be launched this year in 16 cities across the UK. The company then announced that it would retain Huawei as "a major supplier of equipment outside the main network", using its equipment in areas considered "benign", such as poles or towers.
In an interview with CNN Business earlier this month, a senior BT executive said the company had seen no evidence that Huawei's technology posed a security risk.

"In the years we've worked with Huawei, we have not seen anything that worries us," said Marc Allera, CEO of BT's consumer brands.

Samuel Burke contributed to the reports.

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