Wind River couldn't comment on Huawei's specific situation. However, it said it frequently assisted with software upgrades. Huawei itself wouldn't comment on the details of the report, although it promised to address any of the UK's complaints.

The UK hasn't been as anxious about Huawei equipment as the US government, which has repeatedly urged people to avoid using the company's devices. There also hasn't been tangible evidence of Huawei using security flaws and backdoor software to eavesdrop on behalf of Chinese intelligence. However, the attention to VxWorks shows just how nervous some Western countries are -- they're concerned that even the slightest misstep on Huawei's part might enable Chinese spying campaigns.