Earlier this year, reports in trade journals claimed that the FBI was investigating reports that counterfeit Cisco equipment had been installed in networks at US government agencies and in the military and that this equipment may contain a "back door" which allows access to those networks. In late February, reports stated that the US Department of Justice had seized nearly $80 million worth of counterfeit Cisco equipment.

Concerns were raised recently that the problem could be prevalent in Israel as well, since the Ministry of Defense uses Cisco equipment extensively in various communications projects. The ministry told "Globes", "The equipment that the ministry buys from Cisco is original equipment of the company, and there is no connection to the counterfeit equipment discovered in security breaches."

Six weeks ago, Cisco executive VP Randy Pond, the number two man in the company, visited Israel. The visit was described as routine, and there were also reports that he would met defense officials, as the Ministry of Defense and the defense establishment are important Cisco customers in Israel.

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