Chinese telecommunications equipment giant Huawei Technologies sought to gain access to National Security Agency computer networks this year in a failed cyberespionage attack, U.S. officials said. <\/p>\n
The company, which the U.S. government has linked to Chinas military, sought to penetrate NSA networks through a U.S. defense contractor, officials familiar with intelligence reports said of the attempted cyberattack. <\/p>\n
The attempted network penetration was discussed in mid-August during a meeting of an interagency security group called G-FIRST, for Government Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams. <\/p>\n
The identity of the defense contractor could not be learned. <\/p>\n
A Department of Homeland Security official declined to comment, citing a policy of not discussing defense contractor issues. He referred questions to the Pentagon. The Homeland Security Department coordinates the G-FIRST group. <\/p>\n
NSA spokesman Mike Halbig said: We have nothing for you on this allegation. <\/p>\n
While Huawei is challenged to respond to The Washington Times vague inquiry, the suggestion that a globally-proven and trusted $40 billion vender of commercial telecommunications gear would risk its very existence by attempting, in some unspecified fashion, to somehow access a government network through some unidentified third party, would seem nothing short of absurd, Huawei spokesman Bill Plummer told Inside the Ring in a statement. <\/p>\n
The National Security Agency is the governments premier cyberwarfare and cyberintelligence-gathering agency, and analysts say it is one of the highest priority targets for Chinas aggressive cyberespionage efforts. <\/p>\n
The Pentagons annual report to Congress on the Chinese military stated in 2010 that Huawei and two other Chinese telecommunications companies maintain close ties to the [Peoples Liberation Army] and collaborate on R&D. <\/p>\n
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence warned in a 2012 report that the U.S. government and private U.S. companies should not use Huawei equipment because of cyberespionage concerns. <\/p>\n
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Inside the Ring: Chinese company tried to hack NSA using U.S. defense contractor<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chinese telecommunications equipment giant Huawei Technologies sought to gain access to National Security Agency computer networks this year in a failed cyberespionage attack, U.S. officials said. The company, which the U.S. Continue reading