Spy agencies ban Lenovo PCs on security concerns
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Computers manufactured by the world’s biggest personal computer maker, Lenovo, have been banned from the “secret” and ‘‘top secret” networks of the intelligence and defense services of Australia, the US, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand, because of concerns they are vulnerable to being hacked.
According to the Financial Review multiple intelligence and defense sources in Britain and Australia confirmed there is a written ban on computers made by the Chinese company for use in “classified” networks.
The ban was introduced in the mid-2000s after intensive laboratory testing of its equipment allegedly documented “back-door” hardware and “firmware” vulnerabilities in Lenovo chips. A Department of Defense spokesman confirmed Lenovo products have never been accredited for Australia’s secret or top secret networks.
The classified ban highlights concerns about security threats posed by “malicious circuits” and insecure firmware in chips produced in China by companies with close government ties. Firmware is the interface between a computer’s hardware and its operating system.
Lenovo, which is headquartered in Beijing, acquired IBM’s PC business in 2005. In a statement, Lenovo said it was unaware of the ban. The company said its “products have been found time and time again to be reliable and secure by our enterprise and public sector customers and we always welcome their engagement to ensure we are meeting their security needs”.
