Addressing real cyber security risk requires a collaborative, global approach

Huawei equipment is used in a staggering 1,500 carrier networks in more than 170 countries. As telco operators prepare for the long-term, phased transition from LTE to 5G, the technology company is simultaneously racking up 5G contract wins with the likes of Swisscom, Rain and Vodafone, while addressing cyber security-related concerns raised by policymakers in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere.

At the recent opening of its Cyber Security Transparency Center in Brussels, Belgium, Huawei Rotating Chairman Ken Hu called for a collaborative, global approach to developing uniform, verifiable, standards-based cyber security protocols with the involvement of regulators, standards bodies, telco operators and vendors.

Hu outlined four primary challenges: an ever-increasing attack surface as more and more digital content and services transition to cloud environments; lack of unified cyber security standards that are based on an understanding of real  cyber security threats; a global supply chain for information and communication technologies that operates without shared technical cyber security standards; and an inconsistent approach to governance and enforcement.