Current Events > Australia confirms that Huawei conducted espionage for China, bans HW 5G phones

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://goo.gl/qAoWfa

In what is the first known instance of Huawei being used by the Chinese government as a conduit for intelligence gathering, the national security source said an unnamed high-risk vendor confirmed by The Weekend Australian to be Huawei had featured in intelligence reporting.

I am aware of intelligence that indicates that certain high-risk vendors have been asked for assistance by foreign intelligence services, the source said.

The Weekend Australian has confirmed that the attempted breach related to a foreign network, not an Australian one.

It is understood company officials were pressed upon to provide password and network details that would enable Chinese intelligence services to gain access.

It is not known if the attempted hack, which occurred in the past two years, was successful.

While some governments, including Australias, have locked Huawei out of sensitive projects or acquisitions, the risk has until now been regarded as theoretical.

Huawei was one of two companies banned from participation in the construction of Australias 5G network, which is expected to be up and running by next year. The other was Chinese firm ZTE.



That is really screwed up. And apparently the P20 Pro is the best Android phone available.
---

I owned a Huawei phone once.

It was not a very good phone.
---

So they were able to tap into the phones, network, or both?
---

DarkRoast posted...

In what is the first known instance of Huawei being used by the Chinese government as a conduit for intelligence gathering

*to Australia

Returning_CEmen posted...

So they were able to tap into the phones, network, or both?

I don't think we know. Apparently they were able to get access to passwords, so I'm wondering if it's keylogging or decryption codes for password storage programs.
---

It'd be interesting to see ZDNet do a follow up article to this:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/paranoia-will-destroy-you-why-chinese-tech-isnt-spying-on-us/
---

It also makes me wonder if that February security warning about Huawei by the FBI and CIA that was "speculative" wasn't actually speculative at all.
---

DarkRoast posted...

It'd be interesting to see ZDNet do a follow up article to this:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/paranoia-will-destroy-you-why-chinese-tech-isnt-spying-on-us/

They're dumb, China has been spying on us for decades.
---

But don't worry, the Australian government's push to give the same powers to their security services and law enforcement will be lawful and good.

Ergh...I thought about buying their laptops...
---

darkmaian23 posted...

But don't worry, the Australian government's push to give the same powers to their security services and law enforcement will be lawful and good.

What does this have to do with foreign espionage conducted through consumer products?

That's just typical 1984 Big Brother stuff. Not that it's any better lol.
---

Hop103 posted...

DarkRoast posted...

It'd be interesting to see ZDNet do a follow up article to this:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/paranoia-will-destroy-you-why-chinese-tech-isnt-spying-on-us/

They're dumb, China has been spying on us for decades.

naah, only america is guilty of evil shit like spying. no other country ever does things like that...
---

NSA is so jealous right now
---

Reminds me of the story about those Chinese cameras that were in tons of consumer goods (like NEST products) which effectively had the ability to call home to a central server in china at any point.
---

DarkRoast posted...

What does this have to do with foreign espionage conducted through consumer products?

Because the legislation currently under consideration in Australia would allow police and intelligence services to compel any company to gather data for them and allow remote access secretly with a special warrant. In other words, they will be able to do things exactly like this with any hardware or software if it passes.

I'm wearing a Huawei fitness tracker right now :)
---

BreezyExcursion posted...

I'm wearing a Huawei fitness tracker right now :)

The Chinese government is watching your heart rate
---

I mean their routers have had hardcoded backdoors in for years, so it's not like anyone should be surprised by this
---

I wonder if Google not going with Huawei after the well-received Nexus 6P had to do with stuff like this.
---

@monkmith posted...

naah, only america is guilty of evil shit like spying. no other country ever does things like that...

LOL, you're incredibly naive if you really believe that
---

KamenRiderBlade posted...

@monkmith posted...

naah, only america is guilty of evil shit like spying. no other country ever does things like that...

LOL, you're incredibly naive if you really believe that

sarcasm is hard...
---

Still using my Ne us 6P
---