FCC Bans Devices from Five Chinese Firms Over Security Risks - ThreatWire (Patreon)

By Shannon Morse 

Chinese telecom and electronics companies including Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua were formally deemed an ‘unacceptable’ risk to national security by the US Federal Communications Commission or FCC last week, after previously being listed in the Secure Networks Act Covered List of risky equipment or services.

The FCC order banning these devices and brands was released on Friday of last week. With this ban in place, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua will be required to document what kind of safeguards are put in place for sales of devices for government use and surveillance of critical infrastructure facilities. This Report and Order applies to future authorizations of equipment, specifying such equipment can’t be authorized under a Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity process or imported and marketed under rules that could allow for exemption. This rule implements a directive called the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 which was signed into law by President Biden last November.

Two months ago, the FCC also added the Pacific Network Corp and China Unicom to the Covered List.

This isn’t the only country banning Chinese-made equipment. The UK also announced similar, now banning any installs of surveillance systems at sensitive sites, citing China’s National Intelligence Law which requires that organizations and citizens cooperate with China’s intelligence and security agencies. In the UK ban statement, agencies and departments are also advised to consider removing and replacing any equipment which falls under this scope rather than awaiting scheduled upgrades.

LINKS: 

https://thehackernews.com/2022/11/us-bans-chinese-telecom-equipment-and.html

https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist

https://thehackernews.com/2022/09/us-adds-2-more-chinese-telecom-firms-to.html

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/25/tech/uk-chinese-surveillance-cameras-restrictions-intl-hnk/

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-11-24/hcws386?module=inline&pgtype=article