Huawei in British spotlight over use of U.S. firm’s software – Reuters
What happened: Chinese telecommunication company Huawei is under strict scrutiny in Britain for using an aging software component sold in the US. The component Huawei uses is VxWorks operating system made by a California-based company and it will stop receiving security patches and updates in 2020, leaving British telecoms networks vulnerable to attack.
Why it’s important: The British misgivings shows how trade wars and national security concerns are making it harder for tech firms and government to safeguard products and communication networks. The former chief security officer at AT&T, Edward Amoroso, said Huawei’s experience in Britain showed challenges securing international supply chains and he said no one should dismiss Huawei as a supplier solely because of its geographical location.