Boris Johnson last week unveiled a new National Cyber Force, run by spies and military personnel, which will block terrorists’ phone signals, disrupt servers being used by hostile states and hack enemy weapons systems.
As it ramps up the NCF from a few hundred staff to 3,000 strong over the next decade, the UK government is looking to telecoms companies to take on more responsibility for the UK’s network security.
On Tuesday, it introduced the Telecommunications (Security) Bill in parliament, which once passed into law “will bring in one of the strongest telecoms security regimes in the world, a rise in standards across the board, set by the government rather than the industry”, according to Matt Warman, digital infrastructure minister, writing in CityAM.
The immediate target is Huawei, whose 5G equipment must be removed from networks by 2027 on national security grounds. As Nic Fildes reports, UK telecoms companies face fines of up to £100,000 a day for non-compliance. The regulator Ofcom will get new powers and responsibilities to enforce the measures, including the ability to enter operators’ premises to view and test equipment, perform on-site interviews and ask for documents.
It’s a dramatic shift from the existing situation where telecoms companies have in effect set their own standards and chosen partners on technology and profitability grounds as much as security. It will have to be security first from now on, if telcos want to avoid the huge potential costs of ripping out equipment in the future. The bill also gives the government the power to designate other vendors in the supply chain as risks to national security and impose further bans on equipment and services.
Coupled with the National Security and Investment Bill, which entered the committee stage in the Commons today and seeks greater scrutiny of foreign takeovers of UK companies, such as Nvidia buying Arm, these are fresh government firewalls for the corporate world to contend with.
The Internet of (Five) Things
1. India bans more Chinese apps
India has banned 43 more Chinese apps, including Alibaba’s online shopping site AliExpress. The Electronics and Information Technology ministry said the apps were blocked for “engaging in activities which are prejudicial to [the] sovereignty and integrity of India”. More than 200 apps have been banned since relations with China deteriorated in June.
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2. China livestreaming limits introduced
China is tightening its grip on livestreaming sites, where viewers interact with and send virtual gifts to performers, as it steps up efforts to rein in big tech companies and strengthen online censorship. Controls on content, a ban on teenagers making purchases and a limit to any user’s total spending are being introduced, along with tighter rules on ecommerce, where hosts promote goods to shoppers. Lex says Alibaba and JD.com had started to rely on livestreaming for growth this year.
3. Tesla accelerates past $500bn
The electric carmaker’s market value has soared to $500bn in the latest leg of a rally sparked by a jolt of buying ahead of its upcoming debut on the blue-chip S&P 500 stock index. Its shares have risen more than six-fold this year, topping $540 on Tuesday.
4. Countryside drones considered
The UK government is considering allowing drones to deliver goods to rural areas as part of a plan to ensure remote parts of the country are not left behind by advances in transport technology. Other plans include using electric aircraft to fly passengers short distances and introducing electric cargo bikes into rural transport systems.
5. IPads for guns charges
Apple’s head of global security has been charged in California with allegedly offering bribes to two local police officers to issue concealed weapons licences to the tech group’s employees. The indictment accuses Thomas Moyer of offering to “donate” 200 iPads worth $70,000 to the Santa Clara sheriff’s office last year in return for four gun licences.
Tech tools — Smart spectacles
Amazon announced general availability last week for its Echo Frames. The glasses that let you talk to Alexa cost $250 and ship on December 10. Jonathan Margolis looks at, or through, Snap’s £330 Spectacles 3. They feature an inbuilt camera on each side of your head, so they can produce content in 3D, plus four high-fidelity microphones, and sync wirelessly to your phone. You can add 3D augmented-reality effects to your films on Snapchat and other platforms.
