From the Archives: How China Demands Tech Firms Reveal Hackable Flaws in Their Products
Jun 14, 2024
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Exploring China's law mandating tech firms to disclose vulnerabilities, concerns about misuse for hacking operations, challenges faced by tech companies in compliance, varying levels of response to disclosure requirements, and implications in the context of US-China tensions and cyber espionage activities.
China mandates tech firms to disclose hackable flaws within 2 days, raising concerns over compliance and cybersecurity implications.
Sharing hackable flaw information in China could escalate cyber tensions between countries, impacting international relations in the digital space.
Deep dives
Chinese Law Demands Disclosure of Vulnerabilities
China has implemented a law that requires tech companies operating in the country to report hackable flaws in their products to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology within two days. This information is then shared on the National Vulnerability Database, which subsequently distributes it to various government bodies. There is concern that this law puts firms in a difficult position as patching vulnerabilities takes longer than the two-day disclosure deadline.
Foreign Firms Compliance with Chinese Law
It has been noted that certain foreign tech companies with operations in China are complying with the law by sharing information about unpatched vulnerabilities in their products. Some companies on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technologies list, like D-Link and Phoenix Contact, denied providing detailed vulnerability information to Chinese authorities. However, there are concerns about the potential implications of these compliance practices.
Geopolitical Ramifications of Vulnerability Information Sharing
The sharing of vulnerability information as mandated by Chinese law could have significant geopolitical implications, especially considering the rising tensions between the US and China in the cyber realm. If the law indeed aids state-sponsored Chinese hackers in accumulating a greater arsenal of hackable flaws, it may elevate existing cybersecurity concerns and impact international relations in the digital space.