ZTE moves to prove its own security credentials

Taking a page from the Huawei playbook, ZTE is opening its own European cybersecurity lab to demonstrate its own security credentials and appeal to customers.

Although Huawei is taking a battering on the US side of the Atlantic, European nations have stubbornly stood by the side of reason and reasonable behaviour, asking for evidence before signing an execution order. One of the reasons for this will be the apparent transparency to security through its cybersecurity centres in the UK and Belgium, and it seems ZTE is following suit.

“The security lab is an open and cooperative platform for the industry,” said Zhong Hong, ZTE Chief Security Officer.

“ZTE plans to gradually achieve the cybersecurity goals through three steps: first, meeting the requirements of cybersecurity laws, regulations and industry standards as well as certification schemes; second, conducting an open dialogue to enhance transparency and establishing cooperation with customers as well as regulatory agencies; and third, sustaining the open cooperation mechanism to contribute to cybersecurity standardization.”

Opening in Rome, the cybersecurity lab will enable telcos to contribute ideas to improve the security credentials of ZTE products, while customers will also be able to conduct audits of all products and services in the labs. This approach is seemingly working for Huawei, and ZTE is recognising the opportunity to get in on the action as 5G ramps up across the continent.

For ZTE this is a perfectly sensible move to mitigate against future risks. As Huawei is largely a proxy for Chinese aggression, it would be reasonable to assume any action taken against Huawei would be replicated against ZTE. Anything which can be done to get into the good graces of potential European customers should be seen as a priority.

Although it is for selfish reasons, the cybersecurity centre also adds more credibility to the standardisation approach which seems to be forming across the European continent. The more vendors who agree to the higher barriers to entry, the closer the continent comes to standardising security credentials. This approach to risk mitigation, an acceptance that 100% secure is an impossible objective, manages threats while also preserving competition.

Until there is concrete proof of collusion with the Chinese government for nefarious aims, this is the most sensible approach, taking the argument out of the political arena.