Top intelligence official says Chinese ZTE cellphones pose security risk to U.S.

[riversedge]

Source: NBC News




President Trump wants to help the Chinese firm, but a top intel official told the Senate that ZTE cellphones may be used by the Chinese government to spy.
by Ken Dilanian / May.15.2018 / 9:49 AM ET


WASHINGTON — The nation's top counterintelligence official told the Senate Intelligence Committee Tuesday that penetration of the U.S. market by the Chinese telecom firm ZTE could pose a national security risk to the United States.

His comments come two days after President Donald Trump tweeted that he was working with the president of China to help ZTE, which has been sanctioned by the Treasury and Commerce departments for doing business with Iran and North Korea.

Bill Evanina, who is facing a confirmation vote to head the newly created National Counterintelligence and Security Center Office, said he was not up to speed on the sanctions against ZTE, and he declined to say whether lifting them would be a good idea.

But under questioning by Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon, Evanina said U.S. intelligence agencies are on record as assessing that Chinese telecommunication firms are used as a vehicle by the Chinese government to conduct espionage.............................................

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/top-intelligence-official-says-chinese-zte-cellphones-pose-security-risk-n874276

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I have heard over and over that these phones are a security risk. Yet, to the WH, this is not an issue (that I am aware of).

Link to tweet

David Hill
? @DavidL_Hill
5m5 minutes ago
Replying to @KenDilanianNBC @NBCNews

#MakeChinaGreatAgain
0 replies 0 retweets 1 like

Santa Cruz Resists
? @SantaCruzMag
2m2 minutes ago

Replying to @KenDilanianNBC @NBCNews

I'd also add that Republicans are mute on this subject, so apparently they'd like to help ZTE too. Why do Republicans hate our country?
0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes

[FSogol]

1. Yeah, but as long and Trumpy and his friends get their cut, who cares?

[rocktivity]

2. Well, duh, President Duh Donald.

Disclaimer: I own a free ZTE "welfare phone," and I am using a ZTE/T-Mobile portable hotspot even as we speak. Neither of which work particularly well. With high technology like this, who needs Logan's Run-style embedded chips?


rocktivity

[Achilleaze]

3. "Who gives a shit?" - Comrade Casino* (R)

"I mean, I already got my $500 million kickback pay-to-play 'investment' from the China people, so shut up about it you stupid, pointy-headed liberal pinko traitors, you." - Comrade Casino*

* aka republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief

[DetlefK]

4. Counter-question: Would you buy a phone from a company partially owned by the CIA?

The chinese government has its fingers in every single major chinese company. (Foreign investors aren't allowed to buy a majority stake in a chinese company.)

This means, every Smartphone from China was built by people taking direct or indirect orders from the chinese government. How much do you trust the chinese government not to abuse this opportunity to spy on you?

[truthisfreedom]

5. Guess who's rigging the next election?

[dalton99a]

6. Kick