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Security Expert: Huawei Routers Riddled With Vulnerabilities
sabri writes "Cnet reports that German security expert Felix Lindner has unearthed several vulnerabilities in Huawei's carrier grade routers. These vulnerabilities could potentially enable attackers, or the Chinese government, to snoop on users' traffic and/or perform a man-in-the-middle attack. While these routers are mostly in use in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, they are increasingly being used in other parts of the world as well, because of their dirt-cheap pricing. Disclaimer: I work for one of their competitors."
Via the H, you can check out the presentation slides. Yesterday Huawei issued a statement 'We are aware of the media reports on security vulnerabilities in some small Huawei routers and are verifying these claims...'
First, I don't think you are working from a good definition of "racist." If someone insinuated that Cisco had a backdoor deal with the NSA, I doubt people would be screaming "racist" or even do anything more than shrug and frown. It's sound strategy, and the Chinese government is very good at infosec and cyberwar - the reason why people are up in arms isn't because the Chinese are a different race, it's that the Chinese government has been caught repeatedly engaging in corporate espionage as well as old fashioned espionage, where the US generally only bothers with the latter.
Second, almost anyone who has a real infrastructure to protect knows that Huawei works arm-in-arm (or hand-in-pocket, more likely) with the 7th Bureau of the 3rd People's Liberation Army, the Chinese military infosec unit responsible for network penetration. The 7B3PLA has investments all through China's technology sector, to the point where individual chips on routers made elsewhere need to be vetted, as they might be compromised from the factory, and counterfeit devices are a real issue.
Again, not a race issue. China is a global power, and it's acting like one with a solid strategy. It's likewise a solid strategy to avoid cheap off-brand network equipment for your infrastructure. TANSTAAFL, you get what you pay for.
They do usually rebrand their stuff. Some "lower-end" mobile phones, probably ones that carry the operator's brand name and not the manufacturer's, are likely to be made by Huawei or similar companies (ZTE, as another example).
Another reason Huawei is so cheap is because they don't "innovate" like (most?) Western companies do. They kinda consider R&D to be a profit center and will not move an inch to develop something that is not _known_ to be profitable. I have first-hand experience with this. I work for Huawei. There!, I said it.
Most customer meetings we have involve going to ask for requirements that they can be sent back up the chain to HQ (R&D) to get started on the development. Seriously. Our Chinese bosses (can't call them managers) and counterparts (some of the "local" staff have a Chinese "mirror") are constantly asking to find the customer's Strategy for a particular product/service and what the business model is going to be....even from technical staff at the customer.
I recently ready this article http://www.brookings.edu/research/articles/2012/07/10-china-multinationals-shambaugh and it paints a pretty accurate picture of my everyday life working here.
As much as they "sell" the idea of being a communist country, they are still very much a feudal culture with a close-minded and I'm-never-ever-wrong-because-I'm-the-boss mentality. And it'll catch up to them...soon
When people mention something about the Chinese taking over the world, I worry too. Just for very different reasons.
(Posted as AC ((from work)) for obvious reasons)