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Apple has so far resisted, saying that such a backdoor would compromise the security of all iPhone users. According to The Wall Street Journal, US officials claim Huawei includes these kinds of backdoors on various networking equipment. Also known as "lawful interception interfaces," they are used by law enforcement after obtaining a warrant.
The reason the US government is concerned about this is because Huawei is a massive telecommunications company with ties to the Chinese government. Government officials claim Huawei can access networks through backdoors installed on carrier equipment like base stations and switches.
"We have evidence that Huawei has the capability secretly to access sensitive and personal information in systems it maintains and sells around the world," Robert O'Brien, national security adviser, told WSJ.
It's said the US government provided proof to officials and telecommunications companies in the UK and Germany during a private meeting. A memo from that meeting describes the evidence as a "smoking gun."
As with past allegations of spying by the US government, Huawei denies the latest reported claims—instead of a smoking gun, Huawei says this all amounts to a "smokescreen," as it is the US government that's been "covertly accessing telecom networks worldwide, spying on other countries," Huawei told CNET.
"US allegations of Huawei using lawful interception are nothing but a smokescreen," Huawei added. "Huawei has never and will never covertly access telecom networks, nor do we have the capability to do so."
