AfterDawn: News

Ex-CIA boss: Huawei spies for the Chinese

The former head of the CIA says he knows of hard evidence that links Chinese smartphone and equipment maker Huawei to spying for the Chinese government.

Michael Hayden, who was also the former boss of the NSA, says Huawei has "shared with the Chinese state intimate and extensive knowledge of the foreign telecommunications systems it is involved with. I think that goes without saying."



Huawei is also the world's second largest telecoms equipment maker, making the news even more startling. The company has steadfastly denied being linked to the Chinese government or the military.

Global Cyber Security Officer at Huawei, John Suffolk fought back, calling the comments "tired, unsubstantiated defamatory remarks" and challenged Hayden to present to evidence to the public. "Huawei meets the communication needs of more than a third of the planet and our customers have the right to know what these unsubstantiated concerns are. It's time to put up or shut up."

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 19 Jul 2013 22:16

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• 8 comments

• Mysttic

  So can this be taken as on the record as saying this is the NSA
  s and Ex-President Bush reason for PRISM?

  19.7.2013 22:40 #1

• Mysttic

  This was a dupe. I blame Chrome.

  19.7.2013 22:40 #2

• Jemborg

  Huawei has been accused of this by the Australian Gov too. But maybe we got our info from the US? They are massive, employing people from everywhere. It could be that it's just these secret service organisations looking out for the interest of US owned corporations when they aren't chasing green or civil-rights organisations.
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  20.7.2013 02:02 #3

• Interestx

  Every advanced country spies on the rest, these days it is most commonly industrial espionage and diplomatic.
  
  There is also a rather absurd undercurrent (perhaps it's the classic racist nonsense?) that 'they' (in this case China) could not have become so advanced if it wasn't for 'stolen info'.
  Like a vast industrial manufacturing ability (with it's own huge R&D capacity) can just be 'copied'.
  
  It even happens between declared allies, as the EU recently discovered the Americans doing.
  

  20.7.2013 06:34 #4

• Tarsellis

  Well DUH! Doesn't anybody know how China and politics work? Anybody that doesn't automatically assume that any large Chinese corporation, and most American ones too, is spying for china is an ignorant imbecile.

  22.7.2013 13:36 #5

• Ethrieltd

  Yes of course Huawei spy for the Chinese, so youd better not buy one of their cheap, excellent phones. Youd better stay patriotic and buy an iPhone so you own government can spy on you on your good old merican phone....

  23.7.2013 07:42 #6

• Tarsellis

  Originally posted by Ethrieltd: Yes of course Huawei spy for the Chinese, so youd better not buy one of their cheap, excellent phones. Youd better stay patriotic and buy an iPhone so you own government can spy on you on your good old merican phone.... HAHAH! As if there's anything amerikan about an iphone, excepting the judges they buy to protect their market share through litigation since they can't do so through merit.
  
  Quite an excellent point though, I have to agree completely. But CALEA and the "Patriot" Act and their updates mandate that that the communication equipment sold in the US have back doors the feds can use at will.

  23.7.2013 17:33 #7

• pmshah

  Originally posted by Interestx: Every advanced country spies on the rest, these days it is most commonly industrial espionage and diplomatic.
  
  There is also a rather absurd undercurrent (perhaps it's the classic racist nonsense?) that 'they' (in this case China) could not have become so advanced if it wasn't for 'stolen info'.
  Like a vast industrial manufacturing ability (with it's own huge R&D capacity) can just be 'copied'.
  
  It even happens between declared allies, as the EU recently discovered the Americans doing. I agree entirely. Why do you think Intel chose one Chinese company (from 5) to manufacture mobile phones using a version of Atom processor? There are fabs within China who are licensees of ARM processor being used in huge quantities by Chinese mini PC and tablet manufactures.
  
  Stealing secrets may help in getting started but then it requires a lot of brains and effort to excel AND overtake the originators as the Chinese are doing now !

  24.7.2013 21:06 #8