Huawei in British spotlight on use of US firm’s software
Huawei Technologies is under scrutiny in the UK over its use of an aging software component sold by a company based in the United States.
The British Government’s Oversight Board, charged with analysing Huawei equipment, said it had found technical and supply chain “shortcomings” which exposed the country’s telecoms networks to new security risks, according to a Reuters newswire report.
One of those risks might involve Huawei’s use of the VxWorks operating system, which is made by California-based Wind River Systems.
Sources said the version of VxWorks being used by Huawei will stop receiving security patches and updates from Wind River in 2020.
US and Australian politicians have claimed Huawei’s products can be used to facilitate Chinese espionage operations – claims strenuously denied by the Chinese company. Huawei has been strengthening ties with Britain, where it is providing broadband equipment to its largest telecoms provider, BT Group, along with mobile networks for wireless giant Vodafone.