Huawei backs Apple in fight over encryption

    HUAWEI Technologies Co. said it backed Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook in his stand-off with the U.S. Government over order requiring the unlocking of a terrorist’s iPhone, taking the side of the industry’s biggest names in a clash over the balance between law enforcement and consumer privacy.

    “It is very important, we agree with that,” Richard Yu, chief executive of Huawei’s consumer business group, yesterday told reporters in Barcelona gathered for the Mobile World Congress.

    “Privacy protection is very important for Huawei, we put a lot of investment into privacy, and security protection is key, it is very important for the consumer.”

    Apple is resisting U.S. government demands that it unlock an iPhone used by Rizwan Farook, who along with his wife, Tashfeen Malik, shot and killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at a holiday party in San Bernardino in December.

    Shenzhen-based Huawei, China’s largest smartphone maker, becomes one of the first major Asian technology companies to speak out on a debate that has galvanized an industry long resistant to government efforts to gain access to data in criminal cases.

    “Tim Cook spoke up for that [privacy] ... for us it is really very important,” Yu said.

    “I think it’s good letting the government understand why we cannot do some things. There are some things we can do, but there are some things we cannot do.”

    Cook warned that complying with the order would set a dangerous precedent, compromise a key security feature and possibly allow governments, criminals or other parties to access sensitive data in future. The U.S. Government argues it’s a one-time request that will aid an important investigation.

    (SD-Agencies)