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Australian Gov't Bans Huawei From National Network Bids
An anonymous reader writes "It looks like paranoia regarding Chinese cyber-espionage is riding sky-high within the Australian Government. It was confirmed today that the country's Attorney-General's Department had banned Chinese networking vendor Huawei (the number two telco networking equipment vendor globally) from bidding for work supplying equipment to the government's $50 billion National Broadband Network universal fibre project. The unprecedented move comes despite Huawei offering to share its source code with security officials, and despite Huawei not being accused of breaking any laws in Australia. Questions over the legality of the Government's move are already being raised."
Don't they mean Nortel's source code?
Women are like electronics: you don't know how damaged they are until you try to turn them on.
Huawei is an arm of the Chinese government. Officially and in practice. There are members of the Chinese Communist Party permanently assigned to it who monitor correctness and suggest policy (under pain of death). They will spy and steal tech if the Party thinks it's useful. That's just how they roll.
The only real question is whether anyone gives a damn what's going over Australia's National Broadband Network. If not, then Huawei may be cheaper.
I just bet that Huawei networking has really neat built in ways to censor all sorts of content from pirated stuff, child porn, maybe even (gasp!) political comments. So maybe our (Oz) government really isn't interested in censorship?
Nah. On second thoughts, they were just too dumb to notice the opportunity.
Questions over the legality of the Government's move are already being raised.
...by people who support Huawei, most likely. Unfortunately for Huawei's defenders in Australia (and outside of Australia as evidenced by those), it puts them in the open as standing against their own country and having a greater allegiance for the PRC.
Stand strong Australia, and resist the urge to bend to the will of China. They will do everything to get you to back down - stop only when they give up and lose face.
Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
Code audits don't reveal backdoors in hardware. I've disassembled malicious silicon from China. I don't really trust anything built in their fabs now. Personal phone calls, sure. Corporate, well, just assume you've been compromised.
Why is being in bed with Beijing bad, but in bed with DC ok?
Learn to love Alaska
True enough on this. Remember it's not paranoia when you know they're after you(or your stuff, or secrets), it's being smart and protecting your ass.
G'day Clive, you fat bastard! How are your "Greens are a CIA plot" claims working out for you?
Clive's clearly a loon, but he's just a symptom of the problem.
Check each of the links below and ask yourself "Would this be happening in a country where the actions of the government are in the best interests of its people".
Let me know your answer. I'll be interested.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-21/australians-pay-highest-power-prices-says-study/3904024
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3460798.htm
http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/03/21/official-australia-the-best-place-for-miners-in-the-world-again/
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/billionaires-grow-fat-off-lazy-government-20120321-1vij7.html
"I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
No doubt you will feel cheated if Australia doesn't receive all the benefits of Chinese attention that the United States has received.
FBI cracks down on China's elusive army of amateur spies
The FBI estimates that more than 3,000 "front companies" have been established by Chinese nationals in the US specifically to purloin military and economic secrets illegally.
Let Me Count The Ways China Is Stealing Our Secrets
China: Suspected Acquisition of U.S. Nuclear Weapon Secrets
This CRS Report discusses China’s suspected acquisition of U.S. nuclear weapon secrets, including that on the W88, the newest U.S. nuclear warhead.
China's Secret War
Of course, why worry?
China warns Australia against military pact with US
Aussies fear threat of war with China
Why is being in bed with Beijing bad, but in bed with DC ok?
It is about preserving our way of life. China is a Marxist–Leninist single-party state (nominally communist). The US and Australia are both democracies whose constitutions share similar ideas. China has played a big part in the spread of communism, mostly through force.
[Rent This Space]
Australia is usually very open with China and acknowledges them as a crucial trading partner; often bending over backwards to accommodate Chinese business, especially the current government.
I would think that there must be some serious intelligence information motivating this public slap in the face for a top-tier chinese company.