A flaw in Huawei Matebook laptops, discovered by Microsoft researchers, could have been used to take over machines, the Times reported. The “sophisticated loophole” was likely introduced at the manufacturing stage, an expert told BBC News.
Huawei is under increasing scrutiny around the world for its close ties to the Chinese government. The company, which denies any collusion with Beijing, corrected the flaw after being made aware of it in January.
University of Surrey-based computer security expert Professor Alan Woodward told BBC News the flaw had the characteristics of a “backdoor” created by the United States National Security Agency to spy on computers. targets.
This tool has been leaked online and has been used by a wide variety of hackers, including state sponsored ones and criminal gangs.
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“It was introduced at the manufacturing stage, but the route by which it got there is unknown and the fact that it looks like an NSA-related exploit doesn’t mean anything,” Professor Woodward said.
“It could be organized crime gangs, which are increasingly interfering with the supply chain, or it could be someone playing geopolitics to discredit Huawei.
“There is no evidence that the company did anything malicious or that it was pressured by the state.”
The question remains, however, according to Professor Woodward: “How did software engineering processes enable this?”
“It’s not going to help their case or reduce people’s concerns,” he said.
Britain’s intelligence community said last week it could only offer “limited assurances” that Huawei’s long-term security risks could be managed.
Professor Woodward said, “Huawei is essential for 5G, which in turn will be essential for a whole host of things, including future cities and self-driving cars.
“The disruption of this network could cause huge disruption in society and I can understand why people are concerned about Huawei providing this technology.
“They are headquartered in a country that has tough laws and has made it clear that companies must cooperate with the government and keep this a secret.”
Credit: BBC
