Exclusive:How China would be able to hack traffic lights in Scotland, Labour MP warns

The warning around Chinese influence over technology in UK devices follows a briefing from the former head of MI6.

China could hack the UK’s traffic lights if the technology used to make them is not secure enough, a Scottish Labour MP has warned.

Graeme Downie, the MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, organised a briefing in Parliament this week with former MI6 chief Richard Dearlove to discuss the threat of the Chinese state.

Traffic lights could be hacked, a Labour MP has warned

Speaking afterwards, Mr Downie, who is chairman of the Coalition on Secure Technology, discussed the risks stemming from “cellular IoT modules”. The term refers to electronic equipment that can transmit and receive radio signals from cellular networks​, with the technology used in household items all over the world.

Mr Downie said: “There are over five billion of them, in anything from traffic lights, bridges, washing machines, air fryers, logistical elements, fridges and lots of parts of the electricity grid.

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“They are simple things, easy to make, but their firmware can be updated remotely. With short simple bits of code, someone could be in control of those, or reprogram those to do different things.

“Over 65 per cent of modules are made in China or manufactured in China. Because there is no difference between a Chinese private company or the Chinese Community Party, there is a theoretical threat to UK infrastructure as a result of those modules.”

The modules are designed to be embedded as a component of a larger device or piece of equipment​, and then are often connected to external servers. Discussing the risks, Mr Downie said raising awareness was his main focus, rather than ripping out the modules from everything they are embedded in.

“It’s a very serious threat,” he said. “We are suggesting that there needs to be much more awareness.

Labour MP Graeme Downie

“There is no way we could replace these modules, but we are seeing increased awareness from the UK government. The RAF has recently banned some Chinese-made cars. We know two years ago a UK car had to be stripped apart because they were worried about monitoring tech that could be in it.

“There is a theoretical risk there and we need to be aware of it. For example, traffic lights - if you wanted to shut down London for a while, you could just turn them off, or change the sequence, which could theoretically be easily done.

“This is about raising awareness of the tech that is inside infrastructure in the UK.”

Mr Downie called for British industry to have a renewed focus on the modules and consider ways to produce them in the UK.

He said: “You can’t rip and replace, you can’t take it out. But we could consider supporting an industry around these modules, or supporting allies in that kind of venture.

“It’s not about banning these Chinese components. There is a unit inside the Cabinet Office that looks at procurement security, which looks at public procurement, and how it can be more secure.

“One of the things that will do, we hope, is encourage people to think more carefully about the things inside what they are buying. It can also bar certain companies and say this kind of material can’t be used.”