Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Huawei: The Enemy Within?

The NZ Govt knows best.
It's flicking off renewed concerns about Chinese telco Huawei (which is happily operating here, while being accused of espionage in USA).
New security worries have surfaced, following a US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee report which advises telecommunications operators not to do business with Huawei, because of potential Chinese state influence on the companies. The committee cited long-term security risks linked with the companies' equipment and services.
Acting NZ Communications Minister Steven Joyce says the US has long been concerned about Huawei, but our security agencies have already screened it: "Different countries take a different view on the risks to their security at different times. That's an example of where our sovereignty is very different to the US."
US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers says companies using Huawei equipment had reported "numerous allegations" of unexpected behaviour, including routers supposedly sending large data packs to China late at night.
Opposition parties and technology experts says our govt should follow the lead of the UK, US, and Oz and stop Huawei operating here. Labour's even calling for a full inquiry.
But no, the NZ Govt knows best.
It knows far more than the global heavyweights. It's certain, now that we've given Huawei hundreds of millions to roll out our broadband, that they will be our friends. And friends would not ever spy on us. Surely...?
Huawei has an office in Auckland, and over the past two years supplied equipment for the ultra-fast broadband roll out.
Strategic Analyst Paul Buchanan reckons our govt has ignored international security concerns regarding Huawei: "This points again to a cavalier attitude of the government to issues of intelligence and security." Cavalier? Try, naivety. Ignorance. Blind stupidity. Irresponsibility. But hey, the NZ Govt knows best.
[See also my posting from April 2012...]

No comments: