Telenor Norway said trade conflicts and superpower rivalry are causing concern in the technology sector. Security director Hanne Tangen Nilsen said it is almost impossible for consumers to keep track of which company has produced what and how their information is used. A survey commissioned from Kantar TNS found that 31 percent of respondents know who and which country provides their equipment and digital services, and 43 percent fear sabotage and espionage by producers.
The operator said it is responsible for most of Norway's digital communications infrastructure. Tangen Nilsen said society depends on products and services from many nations, which provide access to innovations but also represent potential breach points. Specific measures are needed to improve national understand of the situation and consequences.
For this reasons, it is make an appeal to the Norwegian government on three points, in order to boost national online security. First, Telenor is asking for the establishment of a national situation room that should operate around the clock with responsibility to oversee events in the private, public and military sectors.
Second, it is calling for comprehensive preparedness and wants a thorough, public evaluation of threats and the establishment of genuine cooperation by the three sectors.
Third, Telenor wants the government to make it economical to act securely. It said the public sector spends NOK 500 billion per year on goods and services. Both public and private organisations should set out security requirements in their procurement procedures, to make it pay for suppliers to step up the levels of security of their products and services.
