The Cyber Security Association of China (CSAC) said in a WeChat post on Wednesday that Intel’s central processing units (CPUs) have shown multiple vulnerabilities in the past and that certain chip series from the firm caused video games to crash.
Such product weaknesses may expose users to hacking via a secret back-door system in Intel’s chips, according to the group. It also accused Intel of responding slowly to previous complaints about being breached.
The CSAC recommended a cybersecurity review of Intel’s products sold on the mainland “to effectively safeguard China’s national security and the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese consumers”.
Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
The CSAC’s call for a cybersecurity review threatens to heat up tensions between Beijing and Washington, following US-led initiatives that restricted exports of advanced chips and semiconductor-manufacturing equipment to the mainland.