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Banning Huawei from 5G infrastructure
Ageing
Analysis Cybersecurity
Bad sense of smell linked to death in next decade
Banning Huawei from 5G infrastructure Around the world, countries are closing doors to Chinese tech firms, but there is little evidence that is necessary, says Chris Stokel-Walker
Ruby Prosser Scully
THE UK government is happy for equipment made by Chinese firm Huawei to be used in the UK’s 5G network – just not in any of the crucial parts, according to leaked discussions from the National Security Council. The US and Australia have taken a much more hard-line approach, with complete bans on using Huawei kit to form any part of their 5G networks. What is all the worry about? According to telecoms firm Qualcomm, 5G mobile internet gives a massive speed boost – at least 10 or 20 times faster than our current 4G networks. As devices start sharing more and more data, from self-driving cars to phones streaming data-rich video, speedier connections will be vital. Countries across the world are currently planning their 5G networks. As one of the world’s largest technology firms, Huawei is vying for business – but finding doors closed. The main fear is that Huawei An engineer testing Huawei 5G kit in London in March
SIMON DAWSON/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY
A POOR sense of smell in older people is associated with a higher chance of dying in the next 10 years. A growing body of research suggests a bad sense of smell can foreshadow the onset of Parkinson’s disease and even premature mortality. To investigate, Honglei Chen of Michigan State University and his colleagues analysed data from more than 2000 people aged 71 to 82. Each person was tested to see if they could identify 12 common odours, including cinnamon, lemon, petrol and smoke. They were then tracked for the next 13 years. Compared with people who scored highly on the smell test, those who identified no more than eight odours were 46 per cent more likely to have died 10 years later, and 30 per cent more likely to have died by the end of the 13 years. Analysing the data, the team found that a poorer sense of smell wasn’t linked to deaths from cancer or respiratory illnesses. However, it was strongly associated with deaths from Parkinson’s disease and dementia. There was also a modest link with deaths from cardiovascular disease (Annals of Internal Medicine, DOI: 10.7326/ M18-0775). It had been thought that a worsening sense of smell might lessen a person’s interest in food, leading to weight loss and deteriorating health. But the team found that weight loss, dementia and Parkinson’s disease together only explained around 30 per cent of the higher mortality associated with a poorer sense of smell. Unfortunately, people are often unaware of their sense of smell degrading and doctors rarely test for it. “In the future, as these potential health implications are unveiled, it may not be a bad idea to include a sense of smell test as part of your [doctor’s] visit,” says Chen. ❚
will install snooping devices at the behest of the Chinese government, a worry that stems from a belief that it is impossible to operate in China without engaging with the state and acting as an arm of its spy network. It is a concern stoked by Chinese plans to pass a cybersecurity law. This will require Chinese companies transferring data to store “important data” in China, where outsiders fear it could be easily accessed by the state. The UK regularly monitors Huawei’s equipment as part of the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre Oversight Board, a body set up to allay fears about the technology being tampered with. The apparent decision by the UK’s National Security Council would give Huawei access only to the edge of the 5G network, which doesn’t involve the transmission of sensitive information, keeping the core of the network “safe”. However, other countries have gone further. Last August, Australia’s communication and home affairs ministers said in a joint statement there is a risk that firms subject to foreign
governments may be asked to give unauthorised access to their networks. Although the statement didn’t name Huawei, the company later said it had been banned from Australia’s 5G infrastructure. Similar noises have been made in the US. A state department official warned in February that Huawei and other Chinese tech companies posed a “threat” and shouldn’t be allowed to engage with key communications infrastructure, such as antennas
“The main fear is that Huawei will install snooping devices for the Chinese government” and mast-based equipment used to access the network. The European Union has yet to take a stance, asking each member state to submit its own cybersecurity assessment of Huawei’s involvement in Europe’s 5G network by the end of June. In March, a representative of the German intelligence service said Huawei shouldn’t be involved in the country’s 5G network. The fears may be unfounded however. Sensitive data should never be sent over a public network without being encrypted anyway. This means that even if a message is intercepted, it would be nearly impossible to read. Additionally, so far no evidence has made it into the public domain showing that Huawei has mishandled data or is tied up with the Chinese state. No single company should be entrusted with something as critical as the 5G network because if something goes wrong, whether intentionally or otherwise, it could have devastating effects. But if the infrastructure is distributed among many different firms, others can pick up the slack if needed. ❚ 4 May 2019 | New Scientist | 11
Analysis Cybersecurity
Bad sense of smell linked to death in next decade
Banning Huawei from 5G infrastructure Around the world, countries are closing doors to Chinese tech firms, but there is little evidence that is necessary, says Chris Stokel-Walker
Ruby Prosser Scully
THE UK government is happy for equipment made by Chinese firm Huawei to be used in the UK’s 5G network – just not in any of the crucial parts, according to leaked discussions from the National Security Council. The US and Australia have taken a much more hard-line approach, with complete bans on using Huawei kit to form any part of their 5G networks. What is all the worry about? According to telecoms firm Qualcomm, 5G mobile internet gives a massive speed boost – at least 10 or 20 times faster than our current 4G networks. As devices start sharing more and more data, from self-driving cars to phones streaming data-rich video, speedier connections will be vital. Countries across the world are currently planning their 5G networks. As one of the world’s largest technology firms, Huawei is vying for business – but finding doors closed. The main fear is that Huawei An engineer testing Huawei 5G kit in London in March
SIMON DAWSON/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY
A POOR sense of smell in older people is associated with a higher chance of dying in the next 10 years. A growing body of research suggests a bad sense of smell can foreshadow the onset of Parkinson’s disease and even premature mortality. To investigate, Honglei Chen of Michigan State University and his colleagues analysed data from more than 2000 people aged 71 to 82. Each person was tested to see if they could identify 12 common odours, including cinnamon, lemon, petrol and smoke. They were then tracked for the next 13 years. Compared with people who scored highly on the smell test, those who identified no more than eight odours were 46 per cent more likely to have died 10 years later, and 30 per cent more likely to have died by the end of the 13 years. Analysing the data, the team found that a poorer sense of smell wasn’t linked to deaths from cancer or respiratory illnesses. However, it was strongly associated with deaths from Parkinson’s disease and dementia. There was also a modest link with deaths from cardiovascular disease (Annals of Internal Medicine, DOI: 10.7326/ M18-0775). It had been thought that a worsening sense of smell might lessen a person’s interest in food, leading to weight loss and deteriorating health. But the team found that weight loss, dementia and Parkinson’s disease together only explained around 30 per cent of the higher mortality associated with a poorer sense of smell. Unfortunately, people are often unaware of their sense of smell degrading and doctors rarely test for it. “In the future, as these potential health implications are unveiled, it may not be a bad idea to include a sense of smell test as part of your [doctor’s] visit,” says Chen. ❚
will install snooping devices at the behest of the Chinese government, a worry that stems from a belief that it is impossible to operate in China without engaging with the state and acting as an arm of its spy network. It is a concern stoked by Chinese plans to pass a cybersecurity law. This will require Chinese companies transferring data to store “important data” in China, where outsiders fear it could be easily accessed by the state. The UK regularly monitors Huawei’s equipment as part of the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre Oversight Board, a body set up to allay fears about the technology being tampered with. The apparent decision by the UK’s National Security Council would give Huawei access only to the edge of the 5G network, which doesn’t involve the transmission of sensitive information, keeping the core of the network “safe”. However, other countries have gone further. Last August, Australia’s communication and home affairs ministers said in a joint statement there is a risk that firms subject to foreign
governments may be asked to give unauthorised access to their networks. Although the statement didn’t name Huawei, the company later said it had been banned from Australia’s 5G infrastructure. Similar noises have been made in the US. A state department official warned in February that Huawei and other Chinese tech companies posed a “threat” and shouldn’t be allowed to engage with key communications infrastructure, such as antennas
“The main fear is that Huawei will install snooping devices for the Chinese government” and mast-based equipment used to access the network. The European Union has yet to take a stance, asking each member state to submit its own cybersecurity assessment of Huawei’s involvement in Europe’s 5G network by the end of June. In March, a representative of the German intelligence service said Huawei shouldn’t be involved in the country’s 5G network. The fears may be unfounded however. Sensitive data should never be sent over a public network without being encrypted anyway. This means that even if a message is intercepted, it would be nearly impossible to read. Additionally, so far no evidence has made it into the public domain showing that Huawei has mishandled data or is tied up with the Chinese state. No single company should be entrusted with something as critical as the 5G network because if something goes wrong, whether intentionally or otherwise, it could have devastating effects. But if the infrastructure is distributed among many different firms, others can pick up the slack if needed. ❚ 4 May 2019 | New Scientist | 11