NBN - Everything you need to know about the National Broadband Network

Huawei a security risk, claims Minchin

By AAP
18 December 2008 09:57 AM
Tags: china, huawei, military, national broadband network, nbn, nick minchin, optus

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Talkback 21 comments

    Telstra also uses their products Anonymous -- 18/12/08

    gee how one sided this report is... just name number two telco Oputs but forget to mention that Telstra ALSO uses their products!

    Doh! Anonymous -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119404)

    In case you haven't heard, Telstra is out of the game, so whether they use Huawei is irrelevant to the national security of the NBN.

    Actually, they don't Anonymous -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119404)

    The subject line says it all.

    make them president... Anonymous -- 22/12/08 (in reply to #320119404)

    "I know when Timor errupted Telstra had a pivotal role in securing the Nations Telecoms in the early stages. Why should we trust SINGTEL?OPTUS???

    If I was in IRAQ I would like to know Comms was SECURE!!!
    *************************
    For the war mongering technocrat--timor lost half a million people before we 'telstra delayed' for over 10 years and allowing such horror--
    and then stole their oil.

    IF you care to check how "secure" the oil of iraq is, then you'll witness the same distorted idiocy.

    And rather than the UN having to clean your mess up before hand--lets instead infest southern Iraq with depleted uranium.

    [visit the hospitals if you think oil isnt generated this way].

    Such displays of 'technological saviness' except in mobs are actually war crimes, and the sooner Das Kapital monopolies are disbanded the quicker national wealth will accumulate.

    No problem Anonymous -- 18/12/08

    Because Huawei products are just reverse-engineered Cisco rip-offs!

    OPTUS controls our defense satellites Anonymous -- 18/12/08

    Gee when it was raised about concerns of giving Optus our satellites used for defence purpose, no one seemed concern then.

    Though that would be a bigger issue than NBN

    Telstra went to Timor ASAP!!! Anonymous -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119411)

    I know when Timor errupted Telstra had a pivotal role in securing the Nations Telecoms in the early stages. Why should we trust SINGTEL?OPTUS???

    If I was in IRAQ I would like to know Comms was SECURE!!!

    Forget Optus. K.Rampton. -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119414)

    There is NO way an Australian Government could give Australia's vital NBN Network to a foreign Government especially one with contacts with Chinese spies. Get real Mr Rudd.

    but its OK for the US.. Davo -- 18/12/08

    There is much concern that the Chinese have a back door via Huawei but the US have had access for years via vendors such as Cisco, HP, IBM etc. How come its OK for the US but not for any one else?

    and the French Anonymous -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119433)

    Don't forget that French vendors also have govt hooks

    Peace through vigilance. Sydney Lawrence -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119433)

    The U.S. didn't blow up the World Trade Centre.

    Nor did the chinese joe -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119445)

    no offense sydney, that was a stupid comment, the world trade was blown up by pissed off terroists using nothing more than some handguns and microsoft flight sim 95... and for you to compare one of the largest terrorist attacks ever to something as stupid as a chinese tech manafacturer supplying for an aussie build, is frankly, offensive, and unintelligble at the best

    Apology. Sydney Lawrence -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119459)

    O.K. sorry Joe I did go over the top a little there.

    Don't be so sure Anonymous -- 02/01/09 (in reply to #320119445)

    Don't be so sure about that. !! Have you asked why Robert Moore made that movie. There is lots about what happend at the world trade centre that does not add up.

    Bah Terry -- 18/12/08

    Optus (amongst others) uses Huawei now and there's never been any complaints about it prior. As it's already been pointed out Telstra uses Huawei too so it's not as if Optus is the only one using them.

    As for security, well the DOD encrypts it's data before it hits the network and decrypts afterwards on the other side. And any security places (such as satellite control) require high level defense clearance before you can enter them, and Singtel staff are banned from access.

    Minchin is just spreading FUD, perhaps if he took the time to learn that anyone who is using secure information encrypts their data themselves and that security measures to protect Australians defense interests are in place he might learn something about how the department he is shadow minister for works.

    Singaporean espionage?? Anonymous -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119449)

    Terry you are completely wrong. Agents for Singapore are very active in espionage circles!

    Forget the Chinese...it is common knowledge the Singaporeans are very active on the espionage front....

    Nick Minchin is right to raise concerns!!
    Why not hand the keys over to the chinese while

    yeah! joe -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119451)

    I'm currently working for them in telstra atm... :O !! omg! quick everyone, run around, burn all the telephone poles you can find! shoot widely into the air in hopes of hitting the telstra satellite!!!

    seriously people, what exactly are any spies looking into our NBN (which is almost exclusively for private use) going to find??? our porn collection?? omg, paranoia run riot! our current network is just as easily comprimised as an NBN would be

    @Singaporean espionage?? Terry -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119451)

    "Terry you are completely wrong. Agents for Singapore are very active in espionage circles!"

    And I wasn't arguing that, what I said was that anything secure that runs over a telco network is encrypted by the sender, and in the case of secure locations (such as the satellite earthstation) it is a requirement that security clearances be obtained.

    So so what if Singapore or China is active in espionage circles, the Optus network is secure enough for the DOD to use it, if it's that secure I don't see what all the fuss is about.

    Regardless though I agree with O'Really, the best single bidder remaining is Axis.

    Typo Terry -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119471)

    "Regardless though I agree with O'Really, the best single bidder remaining is Axis"

    That should read Axia, damn typo :-)

    Yeah right Matthew Lye -- 19/12/08 (in reply to #320119451)

    Cisco retains close relationships with the US military and intelligence circles. Does this mean we cant use the internet anymore?

    A little less FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) and a little more practical security and risk analysis would most likely result in people realizing that this is not as much of a problem as people think.

    Every major international company that sells networking equipment maintains close ties with the military and intelligence communities of its home country as they will be purchasing their equipment and providing information on bugs and faults.

    Please stop spreading FUD and analyze problems critically.

    Sure sounds like a FUD O'Really -- 18/12/08 (in reply to #320119449)

    Minchin's FUD is most likely politically oriented (cheap shot) but it sure is convincing. The chance of having a backdoor of any kind (Chinese or not) is simply unacceptable.

    Personally, I want the Canadians in charge of this one. They seem fantastic. The others smell of cheap perfume with nothing under their belts.

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