China’s infosec leads accuse Intel of NSA backdoor, cite chip security flaws

China’s Cybersecurity Association (CSAC) accused Intel of embedding NSA-linked backdoors in most CPUs since 2008 and of lax security practices, calling on Chinese authorities to investigate the company’s products as a national security risk. The claims, posted on CSAC’s WeChat, come amid escalating U.S.–China tech tensions, including U.S. export restrictions on advanced chips, allegations of Chinese intrusions into U.S. infrastructure (which China denies), and Intel’s recent deals with Chinese state-linked entities; a probe could significantly impact Intel given its substantial revenue from China.