"Unfortunately we are unable to disclose more information apart from what John Suffolk said in the interview," Yingying Li, marketing and communications manager at Huawei in the UK said Thursday via email. "We have set up a comprehensive security assurance system and have it stress tested on regular basis. The company will keep seeking ways to enhance the product security together with our customers and industry peers."

In the interview, Suffolk noted that Huawei has made changes in its approach to security since he joined the company in 2011, which included making it easier for security researchers to report vulnerabilities.

"It is correct that they appointed a Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) and more prominently published how to reach it," Lindner said. "However, other areas still need some work. Security advisories, for example, are not yet widely circulated."

"Currently, all one can see is the apparent willingness to engage, which is a good first step," the researcher said. "Whether this will lead to a serious product security program or not is something time will tell."

Before joining Huawei as its global head of cybersecurity, Suffolk served as the chief information officer of the British government for six years. Back in September, he published a paper in which he outlined Huawei's commitment to cybersecurity.