“Elimination of unreliable technology from critical infrastructure and public institutions is a matter of national defence. We have made a firm decision in Lithuania that we will only cooperate with the companies from countries that meet the Euro-Atlantic standard. We are glad to see that the security of technology supply chains is discussed at European, transatlantic levels,” stressed Vice Minister of National Defence Margiris Abukevičius at the Prague 5G Security Conference earlier today.
Back in the summer, the National Cyber Security Centre conducted a study of security risks posed by Chinese-made 5G smartphones. It highlighted the use of software in the smartphones that presents cybersecurity risks is used in public institutions and had a wide international response.
According to M. Abukevičius, security enhancement has been already carried out in 5G sector, while the Ministry of National Defence has also proposed amendments to the law of public procurement recently that would manage national security risks arising from the use of untrusted IT, equipment or services in critical infrastructure. The proposed amendments would prevent procurement of Chinese, Russian, and Belarusian-made technologies for the use in the public sector.
The Prague 5G Security Conference on November 30 – December 1 focuses on the means to ensure the security of 5G networks and risks posed by emerging technologies. The debates will be attended by high officials and experts from Australia, Czech Republic, Estonia, U.S., Japan, UK, India, Israel, Lithuania, Netherlands, South Korea, France, Singapore, Germany, as well as representatives of the EU and NATO.
