Background and Relevance of the Story
Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense for the United States, has announced plans to terminate any collaboration involving Chinese engineers in the cloud services of the country’s defense systems. This decision comes after a report alleging that Microsoft, a leading technology company, has been hiring Chinese nationals for maintaining these cloud services.
Hegseth blames the previous administration of former President Barack Obama for initiating this system and deems it “unacceptable” given the current digital threat landscape. The announcement was made in a video posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, where he also signed the order for an investigation and immediate termination of Chinese participation.
Key Players Involved
Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican, urged the Defense Secretary to look into the matter following his concerns that Microsoft might be relying on Chinese engineers for maintaining the Defense Department’s cloud services. Despite American citizens acting as “digital bodyguards,” Cotton questioned the training of these workers, potentially exposing sensitive data to “foreign adversaries.”
In response, Hegseth confirmed that his team is already addressing the issue. He emphasized that foreign engineers, including those from China, should never be allowed to maintain or access the Department of Defense’s systems.
Microsoft’s Response
Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s spokesperson, addressed the concerns by stating that the company will make changes to its government support services to ensure no team based in China provides technical assistance for the Defense Department’s cloud and related services.
“We remain committed to providing the most secure services possible to the US government, including working with our national security partners to adjust our security protocols as needed,” Shaw affirmed in a message on X.
Next Steps
Hegseth also announced that a review will be conducted in approximately two weeks to ensure no such situation exists in other defense services besides the cloud.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main issue? The US Defense Department aims to end collaboration with Chinese engineers in its cloud services due to concerns about data security and digital threats.
- Who initiated this change? Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the decision, citing the previous administration’s involvement as the reason for the current situation.
- What prompted this action? A report suggesting that Microsoft hired Chinese nationals for maintaining the Defense Department’s cloud services sparked this move.
- How is Microsoft responding? The company will modify its support services to prevent any Chinese-based engineering teams from providing technical assistance for the Defense Department’s cloud and related services.
- What further actions are planned? The Defense Department will conduct a review to verify that similar situations do not exist in other defense services.
