Huawei denies foreign network hack reports

[steven36]

Huawei has denied that it assisted the Chinese government in infiltrating a foreign network to gain information, following reports over the weekend to the contrary.

 

 

 

"Huawei categorically denies it has ever provided, or been asked to provide, customer information for any government or organisation," a Huawei spokesperson told ZDNet on Monday morning.

"These baseless accusations are made without any evidence whatsoever."

 

The denial followed reports by The Australian that it had "confirmed from a national security source" that Huawei staffers were used by Chinese intelligence to "get access codes to infiltrate a foreign network", including providing password and network details.

 

"Huawei is acknowledged as a global ICT leader and is the largest provider of telecommunications infrastructure in the world. We have reached this position as a global leader because we have a 30-year record of delivering world-class technology and are trusted by our customers around the world," the Huawei spokesperson added.

 

"We back up our infrastructure and equipment with an unblemished record of cybersecurity. We would urge any public debate on Huawei's role in providing its technology to Australia to be balanced and based on transparency and facts, rather than vague and unverified speculation."

 

The denial followed Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) Director-General Mike Burgess last week saying his agency had recommended the Huawei and ZTE 5G ban because the stakes surrounding 5G could not be higher, as it will see telecommunications networks move to the top of critical national infrastructure lists.

 

 

"This is about more than just protecting the confidentiality of our information -- it is also about integrity and availability of the data and systems on which we depend," Burgess said.

"Getting security right for our critical infrastructure is paramount."

 

Burgess echoed sentiments expressed by the government in August that the separation between edge and core networks has diminished, meaning vendors cannot be confined to the edge.

"The distinction between core and edge collapses in 5G networks. That means that a potential threat anywhere in the network will be a threat to the whole network," he said.

 

"In consultation with operators and vendors, we worked hard this year to see if there were ways to protect our 5G networks if high-risk vendor equipment was present anywhere in these networks.

 

"At the end of this process, my advice was to exclude high-risk vendors from the entirety of evolving 5G networks."

 

Huawei and ZTE were banned by the Australian government from playing a role in any 5G rollouts in August due to national security issues stemming from concerns of foreign government interference in critical communications infrastructure.

 

Huawei at the time slammed the Australian government's decision, saying it was not based in fact or a result of a transparent process, but rather motivated by political instability thanks to infighting in the Liberal party.

 

"The Australian government's decision to block Huawei from Australia's 5G market is politically motivated, not the result of a fact-based, transparent, or equitable decision-making process. It is not aligned with the long-term interests of the Australian people, and denies Australian businesses and consumers the right to choose from the best communications technology available," Huawei HQ said.

 

"A mistaken and narrow understanding of Chinese law should not serve as the basis for concerns about Huawei's business. Huawei has never been asked to engage in intelligence work on behalf of any government.

 

"The Australian government's actions undermine the principles of competition and non-discrimination in fair trade."

 

United States President Donald Trump's administration has been cracking down on Chinese involvement in the American tech sphere, including with draft legislation barring the sale of national security-sensitive technology to China and blocking government or contractors from buying telecommunications equipment and services from Huawei and ZTE.

 

Huawei in July told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that the US should not miss out on its market-leading technology, also pointing out that its exclusion would drive up consumer costs for mobile services.

 

The heads of the CIA, FBI, NSA, and the director of national intelligence to the Senate Intelligence Committee had also recommended in February that Americans not use products from Huawei and ZTE, while the FCC was also advised by the Executive Branch to deny China Mobile entry to the US telecommunications industry, citing "substantial and unacceptable risk to US law enforcement and foreign intelligence collection".

 

United States Senators Marco Rubio and Mark Warner last month then reportedly told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ban Huawei from taking part in deploying the nation's 5G mobile networks.

 

Huawei declined to comment, but in September denied similar reports that the Indian government had excluded it from taking part in joint 5G trials, saying it is currently proposing a set of solutions to support the government's requirements for a nationwide 5G rollout.

 

"Huawei is an active participant in India's growing 5G ecosystem," Huawei told ZDNet.

 

"Our collaboration with relevant departments and operators continues to proceed as normal. The government of India remains open and welcoming towards Huawei, and has been a fantastic source of support."

 

South Korea's largest carrier left Huawei off its list of 5G vendors, with SK Telecom announcing in September that it would be going with Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung.

 

Source

[steven36]

Report: Australian intelligence knows Huawei was used in espionage

 

According to a report in The Australian, Australia received intelligence reports that Huawei personnel provided Chinese spies passwords to hack a "foreign network."

Why it matters: Though there are many broad allegations that telecommunications equipment providers Huawei and ZTE sabotage products so that spies can conduct espionage, the public is largely in the dark about how and if the nation has ever used that capacity.

The Australian report claims:

• "Chinese espionage services used telecommunications giant Huawei’s staff to get access codes to infiltrate a foreign network."
• The attack took place within the last two years.

The background: Australia barred the company from using Huawei and ZTE products in its upcoming 5G expansion. The U.S. has made it functionally untenable for service providers to use those products as well.

 

Source

[DKT27]

The original report on all this is behind a paywall there.

[steven36]

1 hour ago, DKT27 said:

The original report on all this is behind a paywall there.

 I  can bypass it using a trick  of being referred by  social media.

Quote

 

China used Huawei to hack network, says secret report

Secret intelligence reports given to Australian officials outlined a case in which Chinese espionage services used telecommunications giant Huawei’s staff to get access codes to infiltrate a foreign network.

 

The Weekend Australian has confirmed from a national security source that the intelligence highlighted the Chinese company’s role in cyber espionage.

 

Huawei has been banned from any involvement in building the new 5G network in Australia ­because of security fears but Chin­ese officials have urged the government to rethink the decision.

 

The new information has emerged ahead of the first Australian ministerial visit to China in a year. Trade Minister Simon Birmingham is due to go to Shanghai next week, and a meeting between Scott Morrison and President Xi Jinping is expected at the APEC leaders’ meeting over the next two weeks, amid hopes of resetting the strained relationship.

 

In what is the first known ­instance of Huawei being used by the Chinese government as a ­conduit for intelligence gathering, the national security source said an unnamed “high-risk vendor’’ — confirmed by The Weekend Australian to be Huawei — had ­featured in intelligence reporting.

 

“I am aware of intelligence that indicates that certain high-risk vendors have been asked for ­assistance by foreign intelligence services,’’ the source said.

 

The Weekend Australian has confirmed that the attempted breach related to a foreign network, not an Australian one.

 

It is understood company officials were pressed upon to provide password and network details that would enable Chinese intelligence services to gain access.

It is not known if the attempted hack, which occurred in the past two years, was successful.

 

While some governments, ­including Australia’s, have locked Huawei out of sensitive projects or acquisitions, the risk has until now been regarded as theoretical.

 

Huawei was one of two companies banned from participation in the construction of Australia’s 5G network, which is expected to be up and running by next year. The other was Chinese firm ZTE.

 

The Weekend Australian ­understands the criteria the ­government used to determine risk around network vendors ­centred on capability, form and intent — that is, did a company have the capability to breach a network and a history or intention of doing so. One key criterion was whether the company ­operated in a ­jurisdiction where corporations could be compelled to provide ­information to intelligence services. Late last year, China passed its National Intelligence Law, which obliged citizens and organisations to co-operate with and collaborate with China’s intelligence services if required.

 

Australian Strategic Policy Institute cyber expert Dannielle Cave said the rule placed Chinese corporations such as Huawei in an impossible situation.

 

“Huawei is a good company that provides good, cost-effective equipment around the world but this law makes it very difficult for Australia to involve Chinese companies in critical national infrastructure,’’ Ms Cave said. “A lot of this goes straight back to that law. It is out of the company’s hands.’’

 

Ms Cave said Huawei had been implicated in alleged cyber theft of data from the African Union’s Ethiopia headquarters. According to multiple reports this year, data was transferred every night from the building for five years. “There’s no proof that Huawei was asked to participate or turn a blind eye to the breach, but we know that there was a breach and Huawei was the key provider,’’ Ms Cave said.

 

It is not clear if it is the same breach. Huawei has consistently denied any involvement in espionage. Yesterday its Australian spokesman attacked what he ­described as “more tired, unsubstantiated comments from anonymous sources’’.

 

“Huawei is the world’s largest telecommunications supplier,” the spokesman said. “We partner with the world’s biggest telecom operators because they trust our equipment and trust our people. Because of our proven record and our investment in ­cutting-edge research and development, our business will continue to grow and succeed. For 30 years Huawei has provided safe and ­secure technology to the telecom industry.’’

 

Chinese officials also voiced their displeasure at the 5G ban, arguing it could set a precedent for other countries. “We say to the Australian government, you should rethink the decision,’’ a Chinese official told Australian journalists on a ­Chinese government-funded tour this week.

 

The group was granted background briefings with a series of senior officials with responsibilities for international relations from both the government and the Communist Party of China. All raised the ban on Huawei as a complication in the relationship.

 

“Australia is seen by many people in China as the pioneer of anti-Chinese thinking,” the official said, referring both to the Huawei decision and the foreign-interference legislation introduced last year, which Chinese authorities believe is aimed at them.

 

A second official said: “This business is not over, and actually we are still in discussions with the Australian side.”

 

Huawei head of corporate affairs Jeremy Mitchell said Australian security agencies had taken a negative approach to the company and had declined invitations to visit its headquarters in China and inspect its processes. He noted that rival vendors of 5G technology, Eriksson and Nokia, sourced their hardware from China in joint venture with state-owned enterprises.

 

Officials said they had noted positive comments about the relationship made by Mr Morrison, both in a speech to the Chinese community and also in an interview with the Chinese media.

David Uren travelled to China as a guest of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs

 

Source

[DKT27]

1 hour ago, steven36 said:

 I  can bypass it using a trick  of being referred by  social media.

Source

 

Thanks. Would appreciate if you can share the article in the second post too there.

[steven36]

57 minutes ago, DKT27 said:

 

Thanks. Would appreciate if you can share the article in the second post too there.

The only reason i posted the 2nd post was to be and and example of the reason they denied it so people would know why  this was happening , the only  reason i posted the 4th post is because you couldn't  read the source.  too much trouble  when i was trying to help you out. I don't like posting from sources that have a paywall no way  unless they let you view so many a month  for free . You and admin you can put it up there  and delete the other stuff if you wish thats your call.  Bloomberg ban one of  my vpn ips  before  i don't know if  posting had anything do with it  but here lately i been getting  Forbidden from another news site. I got a trick for  these news sites they want block to me Ill use morty when i go to them  https://github.com/asciimoo/morty

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[dMog]

see...the USA  ain't the only bad boy in the playground sandox