After publicly pressuring its allies to ban Huawei equipment in their 5G networks, US officials are now publicly accusing the Chinese telecom giant of being able to spy on mobile data. The allegations, reported by the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, represent the first specific concern the US has articulated about Huawei after months of conceptual arguments.
The details around the accusation remain vague, indicating that Huawei may be able to spy on access points meant for law enforcement. US officials speaking to the Journal apparently declined to say whether the company had actually done so. But while suggesting a potential mechanism for improper surveillance does heighten the debate between the US and Huawei, it also hints at a deeper self-awareness on the part of US officials. In truth, the intelligence community fears Huawei for a fundamental reason: China will take whatever advantage it can, not unlike the US has done in the past.
Inside the Feds’ Battle Against Huawei
US officials have previously said they didn't need to justify their reservations about Huawei and the potential that the company's equipment could contain Chinese government backdoors. But a number of US allies are taking a different approach to dealing with the telecom giant, hoping to manage the potential risks rather than banning Huawei equipment altogether. The United Kingdom, for example, has maintained an auditing facility in China for years adjacent to Huawei's headquarters. And a fears huawei because knows tempting backdoors
