Do we need to worry about leak of data and being spied using Lenovo and Huawei laptops?

[modeonoff]

Hi, there are some talks about possible leaks of data and spying from Chinese government when we are using computers from Lenovo or Huawei. Do we really need to concern about it?

 

[thx1138v2]

Look at it this way: everything on your computer can be accessed remotely without your knowledge.

Is there anything on the machines that you don't want anyone else to see? If the answer is yes, then the answer to your question is yes, you need to be concerned about it.

 

[modeonoff]

Look at it this way: everything on your computer can be accessed remotely without your knowledge.

Is there anything on the machines that you don't want anyone else to see? If the answer is yes, then the answer to your question is yes, you need to be concerned about it.

I don't want my designs and research to be stolen. Does that mean I better stay away from Lenovo and Huawei?

What about those who do online banking?

 

[cryoburner]

It's difficult to say for certain, but most likely Lenovo is not stealing your data. Supposedly, the software that they pre-installed in some of their laptops simply reports basic usage statistics, not detailed information about what users are doing, and it can apparently be removed. They did kind of hide the software a bit though, at least at the time it was originally discovered, and had some other security incidents, which could make one question their motives, or whether it could potentially have any backdoor functions. That could really be said about lots of software though.

And even if they were spying, or leaving open the possibility of doing so, the question then becomes whether they would have any interest in targeting your company, which probably wouldn't be the case, unless perhaps you were involved with some important project that a government might be interested in. And of course, if someone really wanted your data, I suspect they could probably find other means of acquiring it, again, assuming the business was a high-profile target. I rather doubt that they would be interested in stealing a relatively small company's banking info, at the very least.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

Even if laptops from China are suspect, it doesn't mean laptops made elsewhere are safer.

Once you connect any PC to the internet it can become a target for hackers (if you need proof, just check your firewall activity logs over the past 24 hours if you've got a comprehensive third-party FW installed).

Just like many other things, reports of Chinese-made laptops being "doctored" for easy hacking are often circulated by die-hard, misguided conspiracy theorists who have to put a sinister spin on almost anything.

 

[thx1138v2]

Look at it this way: everything on your computer can be accessed remotely without your knowledge.

Is there anything on the machines that you don't want anyone else to see? If the answer is yes, then the answer to your question is yes, you need to be concerned about it.

I don't want my designs and research to be stolen. Does that mean I better stay away from Lenovo and Huawei?

What about those who do online banking?

You have to ask yourself how valuable your designs/research truly are? If they are valuable, they need protecting and I don't mean a virus blocker or firewall. You might need to think about removing the computer storing your valuable info from any and all networks.

You also have to think about how you are going to transmit that data. You can isolate your computer but then how are you going to get the data off of the computer to transmit it to someone else? And how do you track info and what the other person does with it.

Online banking is the same if sufficient amounts of money are involved.