Due to worries about security and data theft, the UK government has ordered departments to stop installing surveillance cameras made by Chinese companies. According to a statement made by cabinet minister Oliver Dowden, the government considered “current and future possible security risks associated with the installation of visual surveillance systems on the government estate” before making the choice.
The Government Security Group conducted the review, which found that “additional controls are necessary” because of the “increasing capability and connectivity” of the Chinese surveillance systems in the UK.
Dowden also said
As a result, departments have been ordered to stop placing this type of equipment—which is made by firms governed by the PRC’s National Intelligence Law—on sensitive sites. We are acting right away to avoid any security risks because safety concerns are always top priority around these sites.
The rule is applicable to cameras produced by businesses that are governed by Chinese security regulations. The directives also instruct departments to remove such devices from primary computer networks and to think about doing so.
Famous Chinese manufacturers of camera equipment include Hikvision and Dahua, both of which are partially owned by the Chinese government. In a statement to Reuters, Hikvision refuted the allegations and stated that it would work to communicate with the British authorities to comprehend the ruling.
A firm representative said:
Hikvision does not sell cloud storage in the UK, manage end-user databases, or transmit end-user data to third parties.
When leaked CCTV footage showed the former health secretary Matt Hancock kissing an assistant, security concerns about Hikvision cameras being used inside the Department of Health and Social Care surfaced.
Source: Reuters
