China cyber pros say Intel is installing CPU backdoors on behalf of NSA

Hot on the heels of China’s accusations that Volt Typhoon is actually a CIA asset, a group of cybersecurity experts from the Cyber Security Association of China (CSAC) have now claimed Intel products sold in China contain “frequent vulnerabilities and high failure rates.”

CSAC also said Intel products present “serious risks to national security,” alleging the US semiconductor manufacturers installed an NSA backdoor “in almost all” of its central processing units (CPU) since 2008 to create a “next-generation security defense system.”

“This poses a huge security threat to the critical information infrastructure of countries around the world, including China,” CSAC said as part of its accusations on the organization’s WeChat account.

Push to open investigation

The US and China have frequently thrown similar allegations at each other, with US lawmakers recently pushing for greater restrictions to be placed on suppliers passing US advanced chip manufacturing equipment on to Huawei, which the US placed on its entity list in 2019, restricting businesses from trading with the Shenzhen headquartered technology company.

China has also been accused of infiltrating US critical infrastructure to establish a list of targets to strike in the event that war breaks out between the two superpowers. UK government ministers also stated this week Chinese state sponsored threat actors may already have access to UK critical infrastructure.

In a statement posted to WeChat, Intel’s China unit said, “We will maintain communication with the relevant authorities, clarify any concerns, and reaffirm our commitment to product safety and quality” (Via Reuters).

In an additional statement made on Thursday, the company said, “We have noted the relevant media reports. As a multinational company with nearly 40 years of operations in China, Intel strictly abides by the laws and regulations applicable to its business locations.”

“Intel always puts product safety and quality first and has been actively working with customers and the industry to ensure product safety and quality. We will maintain communication with relevant departments to clarify relevant questions and demonstrate our firm commitment to product safety and quality,” the statement concluded.

CSAC has also requested the Cyberspace Administration of China launch an investigation into Intel products sold in China for vulnerabilities and backdoors “to effectively safeguard China’s national security.”

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