Report Claims Huawei Don’t Pose a Risk to UK Security

Huawei is one of the UK’s largest providers of telecoms equipment, with deals in place to provide critical national infrastructure as well as the technology behind services from companies such as BT, EE, Virgin Media, O2 and Sky.

However, concerns have been raised in countries such as the US and Australia about potential links to the Chinese government and the People’s Liberation Army in spite of strong denials from the group.

A cyber security evaluation centre in Banbury UK was established in 2010 by Huawei to take apart the physical equipment and software used in the UK to mitigate risks to national security. In the report for the national security adviser, the centre’s oversight board said the “technical assurance” provided by Banbury was of “sufficient scope and quality to meet its obligations”. Huawei has also pledged further funds to expand the centre.

A management audit by Ernst & Young showed the centre was sufficiently independent from Huawei, which will address concerns about the centre and its staff being fully funded by the Chinese group. Three concerns were identified by the report, although these were rated as “low risk”. They included difficulties in recruiting staff owing to a lack of cyber security skills as well as the reluctance of potential new recruits to complete security clearance. Ernst & Young also found some staff working at the centre without developed vetting clearance, the most comprehensive type of security vetting, although this has now been reduced to just two.

Financial Times: