US wants shared security measures for 5G networks

This article is more than 12 months old

Apr 17, 2019 06:00 am

WASHINGTON/LONDON: The US will push its allies at a meeting in Prague next month to adopt shared security and policy measures that will make it more difficult for China's Huawei to dominate 5G telecommunications networks, according to people familiar with the matter and documents seen by Reuters.

The event and broader US campaign to limit the role of Chinese telecommunications firms in the growth of 5G networks comes as Western governments grapple with the national security implications of moving to 5G, which promises to be at least 100 times faster than the current 4G networks.

The issue is crucial because of 5G's leading role in Internet-connected products ranging from self-driving cars and smart cities to augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

If the underlying technology for 5G connectivity is vulnerable, then it could allow hackers to exploit such products to disrupt them or to spy.

Officials from more than 30 countries will meet on May 2 and 3 to agree on the security principles for next-generation telecommunications networks, said Mr Robert Kahofer of Czech cyber security agency Nukib.- REUTERS