In Prague, 30 countries seek united approach to 5G security amid Huawei concerns
- Non-binding proposal warns governments against relying on suppliers susceptible to state influence
- Unified action could help countries caught between Beijing and Washington, which is urging allies to ban Chinese tech giant
Security officials from 30 countries hammered out a common approach to wireless network safety on Friday, responding to concerns over equipment made by China’s Huawei Technologies, recently banned by the US government.
The non-binding proposal warns governments against relying on suppliers of 5G networks that could be susceptible to state influence or based in countries that have not signed international agreements on cybersecurity and data protection.
“The customer – whether the government, operator, or manufacturer – must be able to be informed about the origin and pedigree of components and software that affect the security level of the product or service,” read the “Prague Proposal” document handed out at the end of the conference in the Czech capital.
“The overall risk of influence on a supplier by a third country should be taken into account, notably in relation to its model of governance, the absence of cooperation agreements on security,” the statement said.
Representatives from the European Union, Nato and Asian countries including Japan and Korea attended the meeting.