By Herman Kannenberg – As a leading global provider of ICT infrastructure and smart devices, Huawei plays an active role in the digital transformation of industries to bring digital to every person, home, and organisation.
With digital transformation initiatives accelerating across the world, we have a clear responsibility to keep cybersecurity and privacy protection a top priority. To do this, we have implemented a comprehensive, end-to-end cybersecurity assurance system.
Over the past three decades, we have maintained a solid security track record. Huawei is the leading provider and designer of enhanced 5G security. We have provided more manpower and resources to international bodies than anyone else and are the top contributor of industry-accepted 5G security proposals.
For example, 385 proposals submitted by Huawei were accepted by 3GPP (the Third Generation Partnership Project) during 2019, which accounts for 24,6% of all proposals accepted in that year, making Huawei the number-one contributor in this regard.
Building and fully implementing an end-to-end global cybersecurity assurance and privacy protection system is one of Huawei’s most crucial strategies. We are referencing industry best practices to build a system that is sustainable, reliable, and compliant with applicable laws and international telecommunications standards.
This system covers everything from policies, organisational structures, processes and management, to technologies and standard practices. Huawei works transparently with governments, customers and partners to tackle cybersecurity and privacy challenges and to meet our customers’ demands.
We are addressing cybersecurity and privacy needs by incorporating best practices into our processes, baselines, policies, and rules. This makes cyber security and privacy protection central to Huawei’s daily operations.
End-to-end cyber security assurance system
Huawei’s top-down cybersecurity governance structure supports our security strategy.
The Global Cyber Security and User Privacy Protection Committee (GSPC) is Huawei’s highest cybersecurity management body and responsible for approving our strategy for cybersecurity assurance. The Global Cyber Security and User Privacy Protection Officer (GSPO) is an important member of the GSPC and reports directly to the Huawei CEO. The GSPO is in charge of developing Huawei’s security strategy and plans, manages, and oversees how departments (eg., R&D, supply chain, marketing, sales, project delivery, and technical services) structure their security teams and ensure security in their business activities.
This system now covers all departments, geographies, and processes. The GSPO facilitates effective communication between Huawei and its stakeholders, including governments, customers, partners and employees – ensuring the highest possible cybersecurity standards.
Herman Kannenberg is the Head of Legal and Cyber Security at Huawei South Africa