Google's physical security keys, known as Titan, are reportedly made by a Chinese company named Feitian Technologies Co, which has raised concerns about the security of Google's new product. But an expert said that this concern is totally unnecessary because Google has control of the security of the key and its software.
According to U.S. financial network CNBC, a Google spokeswoman declined to specify whether Feitian made the Titan keys, although she did admit that the keys are made by an unidentified third party.
Staff in Feitian's office in Santa Clara, California, confirmed that Feitian is working with Google on Titan.
The Beijing-based company couldn't be reached for comment during the weekend.
Although Feitian has not officially confirmed it is Titan's manufacturer, the Global Times found the company had mentioned Google's products in several Twitter posts since Google announced this new product for securely logging into web services last month at the Nextcloud conference in San Francisco.
An article published on Feitian's website last November said: "Google chooses Feitian to build the strongest security protection." In a Q&A session with investors on April 16, it also replied: "The company's Fast Identity Online products are used when logging into Google accounts."
Xiang Ligang, a Chinese communications industry observer, told the Global Times on Sunday that it is not a surprise for a U.S. giant like Google to choose a Chinese manufacturer to make its security keys, even though the U.S. has accused China of challenging its information security.
"China's manufacturers are at the top level of the world," Xiang said, "Companies like Feitian have the best product quality and fast production speed. Its supporting services are likewise the best. It's not a surprise for Google to choose Feitian."
Speaking of the U.S. media's concern on information security, Xiang noted that Feitian is just in charge of Titan's hardware manufacturing link, so Google still has control of the security of the keys and the software.
Feitian was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2014 and is known to hold the top share of China's smart identification field. The company's shares finished higher by the 10 percent daily limit last Friday after it announced first-half results, with income of 428 million yuan ($62.67 million), increasing 5.4 percent year-on-year.
Feitian has built up a global customer base consisting of more than 6,000 users in the finance, post, telecommunications and transportation sectors.
