OTTAWA – The federal government has admitted to investigating Chinese telecom firm Huawei’s equipment sold in Canada for potential security threats.
A Globe and Mail report says the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), the federal spy agency that seeks to protect Canada from cyberattack, confirmed that it has been testing Huawei equipment for security vulnerabilities since 2013.
Risks could affect equipment ranging from private cellular phones to large communications networks, corporations and governments, continues the report. Canadian security and telecom sources say the evaluations, conducted at what is known as a White Lab, include testing equipment and phones for “back doors”, capabilities that can be built in to allow Chinese hackers to covertly intercept data or disable communications.
Huawei Canada vice-president Scott Bradley confirmed in the report that Huawei’s equipment is tested and that the company pays for an independent verification program overseen by the CSE.
Canada is facing pressure from the U.S. and Australia to join a ban preventing Huawei from supplying equipment for its 5G networks, adds the report.
