- July 13, 2021
- Posted by: John
- Category: Network Security
NDAA Section 889 compliance – first of all, you are likely asking yourself what NDAA Section 889 is in the first place, so let’s take a quick look at it and what it means…
NDAA Section 889
NDAA stands for the National Defense Authorization Act also known as the Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act.
The NDAA was first passed in 1961 and is an annual congressional bill and it allows congress to establish priorities for funding and policy as it pertains to the U.S. Department of Defense.
In 2019, Section 889 of the NDAA was established to prohibit
executive agencies from entering into, or extending or renewing, a contract with an entity that uses any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system, on or after August 13, 2020, unless an exception applies or a waiver is granted.
[Source]
Covered telecommunications equipment or services include:
(A) Telecommunications equipment produced by
Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation (or any
subsidiary or affiliate of such entities).
(B) For the purpose of public safety, security of government facilities, physical security surveillance of critical
infrastructure, and other national security purposes, video
surveillance and telecommunications equipment produced
by Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou
Hikvision Digital Technology Company, or Dahua Technology Company (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such
entities).
(C) Telecommunications or video surveillance services
provided by such entities or using such equipment.
(D) Telecommunications or video surveillance equipment or services produced or provided by an entity that
the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director
of the National Intelligence or the Director of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, reasonably believes to be an entity
owned or controlled by, or otherwise connected to, the
government of a covered foreign country.[Source]
Although there is some ambiguity as it pertains to which types of equipment are covered under the “telecommunications devices” clause of NDAA Section 889, generally it covers equipment that can be used to transmit user data or hacked into to access user data.
Tekulus And NDAA Section 889
The vendors listed under NDAA Section 889 are deemed to be a security threat. At Tekulus, we understand how important it is for all businesses to pay attention to their vendors to secure data all across our nation.
We are a certified Ubiquiti Unifi dealer. We choose to work with Ubiquiti Unifi because their cameras are NDAA Section 889 compliant.
Why Should NDAA Section 889 Matter to You And Your Business?
As a business, you trust your data and the data of your clients with the vendors that provide you with telecommunications or video surveillance equipment. You probably don’t think much about it – just how much you are sharing with these companies – but you should which is part of why NDAA Section 889 is so important.
If you give untrustworthy companies access to your data, not only are you exposing your data and your customer’s data, but you are creating a security loophole through which companies that are owned by, controlled by, or connected to the Chinese government, can access or abuse data that should be kept secure.
Why We Chose Ubiquiti Unifi
We mentioned above that we are authorized Ubiquiti Unifi dealers and are proud of the fact that they are a trusted and secure supplier of telecommunications and video surveillance equipment. We also choose to work with Ubiquiti Unifi because they:
- Offer the top of the line high-performance wi-fi equipment.
- Offer scalable solutions for businesses of all sizes.
- Offer simplified solutions to complex WiFi situations.
- Offer comprehensive technological solutions.
WiFi Solutions From Ubiquiti Unifi and Tekulus
At Tekulus our team of skilled IT professionals live and breathe tech. and there is nothing that we enjoy more than a challenge! We take on projects that other companies turn away from because we specialize in rugged WiFi solutions and IT setup. Don’t worry, though, we can take care of your less complex setup needs too! Why not give us a call today and let us know how we can help you with your WiFi setup or your custom IT needs? Just dial 510-592-8530 to talk to our team!