Collaborate Disseminate
A roundup of UK focused Cyber and Information Security News, Blog Posts, Reports and general Threat Intelligence from the previous calendar month, June 2020.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a sophisticated nation-state actor is causi… Continue reading Cyber Security Roundup for July 2020
Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE Corp have been designated national security threats by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), citing the companies’ close ties with the Chinese Communist Party and the military. The United States took a n… Continue reading US Now Considers Huawei and ZTE Threats to National Security
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has designated Chinese telecommunication providers Huawei and ZTE as national security risks, a decision that officially prohibits American phone companies from purchasing their equipment with government subsidies. The announcement Tuesday comes after U.S. intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned that Huawei and ZTE could conduct espionage against the U.S. and its allies on Beijing’s behalf. The FCC’s decision takes effect immediately. It prevents U.S. companies regulated by the agency from spending federal funds obtained through the $8.3 billion Universal Service Fund (USF) — which is designed to promote universal access to phone services — on equipment or services from Huawei or ZTE. The companies are subject to a Chinese law that requires firms to provide authorities with sensitive data, even if they’re unwilling to do so. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement that both companies “have close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military apparatus,” […]
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A U.S. cybersecurity task force dedicated to protecting data throughout American networks aims to have a diverse set of opinions. That doesn’t mean just anyone is invited. Since 2018, the Department of Homeland Security’s Information and Communications Technology Supply Chain Task Force has been charged with developing strategies to ensure that government agencies and companies aren’t made vulnerable by partners, vendors, contractors, suppliers or other organizations in their business orbit. Members include a range of government bodies, telecommunication giants like Verizon and AT&T, and global tech firms including Microsoft and Cisco. DHS officials assess potential task force members based on a risk assessment that includes whether an entity might add value to ongoing conversations, and whether possible damage from including that organization outweighs the possible benefits. It’s the kind of criteria that makes the addition of a company like Huawei, the Chinese telecom that U.S. intelligence officials say represents a […]
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The Senate Intelligence Committee quietly approved a measure last week that would require the Director of National Intelligence to submit a report to Congress on the threats posed by foreign governments’ and entities’ use of commercially available surveillance software. The DNI’s report, which would be sent to Congress 180 days after the Intelligence Authorization Act for 2021 passes, would include information on how the U.S. — and other countries — can work to reduce the threats of commercial spyware, including through export controls, diplomatic pressure, trade agreements, and work with the technology and telecommunications sectors to better secure consumers’ software. The committee wants the DNI to specifically address the threat posed to U.S. citizens, in addition to those living abroad or employed by the U.S. government. The report request comes nearly one year after the United Nations Special Rapporteur David Kaye called for a moratorium on the creation and sale of […]
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A new report claims that Huawei has stockpiled up to two years’ worth of critical U.S.-based chipsets and components.
The post Huawei’s Plan for the U.S. Blacklisting? Hoarding appeared first on Thurrott.com.
Continue reading Huawei’s Plan for the U.S. Blacklisting? Hoarding
A Canadian judge has ruled that extradition proceedings to the U.S. should continue for an executive of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei. The ruling is a blow to Huawei’s efforts to shield its chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, from the U.S. justice system, and a further escalation in the long-running war between the U.S. government and one of the world’s biggest technology companies. U.S. prosecutors have for over a year sought the extradition of Meng, the daughter of Huawei’s founder, on charges that she participated in a bank fraud scheme that violated trade sanctions against Iran. After Canadian authorities arrested Meng in December 2018, she fought extradition, arguing that the allegations did not constitute a crime in Canada. But a British Columbia Supreme Court judge dismissed that argument Wednesday, saying that the offense she is accused of would be a crime if it occurred in Canada, potentially clearing the way for her extradition. […]
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The United Kingdom’s cybersecurity agency is reviewing the impact that new U.S. sanctions on Chinese telecommunications company Huawei could have on Britain’s deployment of 5G technology. The review by the National Cyber Security Centre is welcome news for U.S. officials who have lobbied their U.K. counterparts to ban Huawei gear out of concerns over espionage. And it’s a potential change of fate for Huawei’s business in the U.K. after officials decided in January to allow the telecom giant’s equipment in up to 35% of the country’s 5G deployments — albeit not in the most sensitive parts of those networks. “Following the U.S. announcement of additional sanctions against Huawei, the NCSC is looking carefully at any impact they could have to the U.K.’s networks,” the NCSC said in a statement to CyberScoop on Tuesday. “The security and resilience of our networks is of paramount importance.” Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office, according […]
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In the spirit of the other recent re-evaluations of my favorite handsets from last year, I decided to give the P30 Pro another shot.
The post Revisiting the Huawei P30 Pro appeared first on Thurrott.com.
Continue reading Revisiting the Huawei P30 Pro
The U.S. government will ease some restrictions on Huawei and allow it to collaborate with U.S. companies on 5G and other international standards.
The post U.S. Steps Back a Bit from the Huawei Cliff appeared first on Thurrott.com.
Continue reading U.S. Steps Back a Bit from the Huawei Cliff