US military members need to dump Huawei phones, expert warns
One retired military member is warning all U.S. service members to throw away their Huawei devices.
During an interview with The Military Times, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Spalding – who served as senior director for strategic planning and national security adviser to the White House – said the Chinese government could potentially access information recorded by Huawei devices.
“No active duty service member should be using a Huawei device, especially not on a U.S. military installation,” Spalding told the publication. “Huawei smartphones are both a personal security and a national security risk.”
Spalding, who also served as China strategist for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Chinese government could be spying on individuals using not only phones, but also laptops, modems and other devices.
The type of information that could be transmitted includes location, texts, calls, photos, IP addresses, in addition to your gait, voice and height.
The major concern with Huawei is that it may be required by the Chinese government to hand over information.
The White House has banned the sale of Huawei and ZTE devices on military bases, but their usage by service members who already have them has not been addressed.
While Department of Defense spokeswoman Heather Babb told FOX Business the agency does not comment on matters of intelligence, she did say maintaining secure networks is a top priority.
"The United States is focused on the security of communications networks and services, which play a critical role in the safety, security, and prosperity of our nations and are an attractive target for foreign adversaries and malicious cyber actors,” Babb said in a statement to FOX Business. “One of our highest priorities is to ensure the United States and our partners and allies maintain secure and trustworthy networks to reduce the risk of unauthorized access and malicious cyber activity."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP
Earlier this year, the Trump administration banned American companies from installing foreign-made equipment that could put national security at risk. Huawei was included in a list of companies posing a potential risk.
The U.S. is expected to begin issuing licenses for American companies to do business with Huawei so long as there is no threat to national security. The company will not, however, be removed from the so-called “entity list.”
A group of lawmakers recently introduced legislation that would keep Huawei blacklisted.