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British official to check Huawei security
Aggregated Source: Shanghai Daily: Business

ONE of Britain's most senior security officials has been assigned to review a cybersecurity center operated by Chinese company Huawei following concerns the firm - which is playing an increasingly large role in Britain's Internet infrastructure - can't be relied on to police its own systems.

The government said yesterday National Security Adviser Kim Darroch would review the workings of a Huawei facility known as "the Cell" to ensure the integrity of the company's products, which include routers deployed across Britain's fiber optic cable network.

Members of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee argued in a report that the Cell was too dependent on Huawei personnel to provide the oversight needed to ensure the system didn't leave the door open to foreign spies. The committee suggested that Britain's eavesdropping agency GCHQ should staff the site, which is run at Huawei's expense.

Prime Minister David Cameron's office said Darroch would look into the recommendations and report later in the year.

Huawei Technologies Ltd said it welcomed the review.

"Huawei shares the same goal as the UK government and the (Intelligence Committee) in raising the standards of cybersecurity in the UK and ensuring that network technology benefits UK consumers," it said.

"Huawei is open to new ideas and ways of working to improve cybersecurity," it added.

Huawei is one of the world's leading suppliers of telecommunications network equipment.

Last year, a US congressional panel recommended carriers avoid doing business with it or its smaller Chinese rival, ZTE Corp, for fear of putting America's infrastructure at risk. In Australia, Huawei was barred from bidding for work on a national broadband network.


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