Huawei Software Contained Backdoors For the Company To Exploit, Bloomberg Reports

With the U.S. and Chinese tech company Huawei still at odds, a new report about some of the company’s older products may only further that tension.

An exclusive from Bloomberg revealed that some of Huawei’s older software had vulnerabilities the company could have exploited. British tech firm Vodafone Group Plc, Europe's largest phone company, said it discovered the weaknesses several years ago when it checked out equipment sent to Huawei’s related businesses in Italy.

Vodafone uncovered backdoors in Huawei’s software that could provide unauthorized access to the Italian landline using Huawei’s service from 2009 to 2011. The system provided internet access to millions of homes and businesses throughout the country. Bloomberg also noted that the security issues discovered in Vodafone's Italian business were also found in the U.K., Germany, Spain and Portugal.

After Vodafone's discovery, it reached out to Huawei to get rid of these backdoor accesses. Huawei did offer assurances that it would eliminate the access points from the software, but Vodafone found Huawei hadn’t done so after running new tests. More backdoors were also discovered in parts of Huawei’s optical service nodes and broadband network gateways.

According to a statement from Vodafone, the backdoors were eventually addressed though it did not provide any firm dates. Vodafone did confirm that it worked with Huawei to address the problems and that they have been resolved.

"Bloomberg is incorrect in saying that this 'could have given Huawei unauthorised access to the carrier's fixed-line network in Italy,'" Vodafone said in a statement.

The U.K. has included Huawei in its 5G Network, which has brought U.S. worries about intelligence sharing.

There have long been concerns about Huawei because of its close ties to China. There is fear the latest developments will only further stoke the tensions between Huawei and the U.S., which has accused Huawei of providing information to the Chinese government.