5G Technology: Incredible Promise, Significant Risk
Fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology will form the backbone of future economic development and public services. Newly networked societies will critically rely on innovative new applications. Countries must take action now to safeguard their emerging 5G networks, because the stakes could not be higher.
MUCH MORE THAN FASTER SMART PHONES.
5G will transform every aspect of our lives by enabling exciting new applications:
• Self-driving cars, buses, and trains
• Telesurgery that connects surgeons and patients over great distances
• More efficient critical infrastructure, such as electrical grids and water systems
• Millions of networked devices, including “smart” home appliances
• Limitless potential uses yet to be invented
5G NETWORKS MUST BE CAREFULLY BUILT TO SAFEGUARD CITIZENS.
To realize the promise of 5G, nations must take action now to ensure their 5G networks will be
safe:
• Privacy will be threatened if intentional “backdoors” can skim personal data from citizens
• Security & safety will be threatened if “kill switch” attacks can disrupt or shut down 5G networks
• Human rights will be threatened if “smart cities” use surveillance technologies to limit personal freedom and target vulnerable citizens
• Economies will be threatened if intellectual property and trade secrets can be stolen
• Sovereignty will be threatened if nations rely on networks controlled by authoritarian governments
WHO CAN BE TRUSTED TO BUILD YOUR 5G FUTURE?
• National standards for 5G networks should take into account the country and model of government where 5G equipment and software companies are headquartered.
• Trust cannot exist when vendors are subject to secret manipulation by an authoritarian government—like the People’s Republic of China—that lacks an independent judiciary and rule of law that prevents misuse of data.
• Our technical experts believe no technical fixes can mitigate the overall risks of allowing Huawei’s and ZTE’s equipment anywhere in 5G network infrastructure.
• Ericsson (from Sweden), Nokia (from Finland), and Samsung (from South Korea) offer excellent equipment at competitive costs, and are not subject to the whims of authoritarian regimes.
THE UNITED STATES SUPPORTS A SECURE 5G FUTURE FOR EVERYONE.
• We welcome collaboration with partners and allies to ensure our shared security in a 5G future.
• Allowing Chinese equipment companies into any part of a 5G network creates unacceptable risks to national security, critical infrastructure, privacy, and human rights.
• We have taken steps to allow only trusted equipment into all parts of our 5G network.
• The United States will reassess how it interconnects and shares information with countries that compromise their 5G security.
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View Original Content: https://policystatic.state.gov/uploads/2019/11/5G-Promise-Risk.pdf
This translation is provided as a courtesy and only the original English source should be considered authoritative.
