Intel China politely denies security claims made by Chinese cyber association

Following the Cybersecurity Association of China’s call for a security review of Intel’s products sold in the country, the China unit of the U.S. chipmaker said it has always prioritised product safety and quality.

Intel, in a statement on its official WeChat account, said that they will maintain communication with the relevant authorities, clarify any concerns, and reaffirm their commitment to product safety and quality

A security assessment by China's cyberspace regulator could negatively impact Intel's sales in the country, which accounted for more than 25 per cent of the company's revenue last year.

Earlier, the influential Chinese cybersecurity association alleged that the U.S. chipmaker has constantly harmed the country's national security and interests.

Although the CSAC is an industry organization and not a government entity, it reportedly maintains strong connections to the Chinese state. The extensive allegations against Intel, shared in a lengthy post on its official WeChat account, could prompt a security review by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC).

In its post, CSAC claims that Intel chips, including Xeon processors utilized for artificial intelligence applications, contain numerous vulnerabilities. It concludes that Intel exhibits significant flaws in product quality and security management, suggesting an extremely irresponsible approach toward its customers.

Notably, the allegations emerge at a time when China is grappling with a U.S.-led initiative aimed at curbing its access to key chip manufacturing tools and components, which Washington claims is an effort to impede the modernization of China's military.

Last year, the CAC banned domestic operators of critical infrastructure from purchasing products manufactured by the U.S. memory chip company Micron Technology, concluding that the company’s products did not pass its network security evaluation. A similar security evaluation of Intel's products, according to reports, could adversely affect the company's revenue, more than 25% of which was generated from China last year.