Microsoft ends use of China-based computer engineers for certain Defense Dept projects amid espionage fears

Microsoft mentioned it will cease using China-based computer engineering teams for work on Pentagon cloud systems and other classified systems after an analysis this week led to national guard concerns at the highest levels over a undertaking that Microsoft has used since A ProPublica summary distributed Tuesday accused Microsoft of allowing China-based engineers to assist with Pentagon cloud systems with inadequate guardrails in an effort to scale up its administration contracting business The review got the attention of GOP lawmakers and the Trump administration with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisting Friday that foreign engineers from any country should NEVER be allowed to maintain or access DOD systems He added that the Defense Department would be looking into this ASAP After Hegseth's indication that the Pentagon would be looking into the matter Fox News Digital reached out to Microsoft which responded that it would be ceasing its use of China-based computer engineers providing assistance to sensitive Defense Department cloud and related services TEMU SUED BY KENTUCKY FOR ALLEGEDLY GIVING CHINA UNFETTERED' ACCESS TO USER RECORDS In response to concerns raised earlier this week about U S -supervised foreign engineers Microsoft has made changes to our patronage for U S authorities customers to assure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance for DOD authorities cloud and related services Frank Shaw chief communications officer at Microsoft stated We remain committed to providing the most of secure services achievable to the U S regime including working with our national shield partners to evaluate and adjust our shield protocols as needed The ProPublica overview published earlier this week which spurred Microsoft's action cited current and former employees and executive contractors who worked on a cloud computing initiative deployed by Microsoft in The undertaking meant to meet federal contracting regulations used a system of digital escort chaperones for global cybersecurity agents such as those based in China meant to create a guard buffer so that they can work on agency computing systems DOD guidelines require that people handling sensitive input be U S citizens or permanent residents CHINA'S SPYING IN CUBA SPARKS ALARM ON CAPITOL HILL AFTER FRESH SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW SURVEILLANCE BUILDUPAccording to sources who spoke to ProPublica including particular who had intimate familiarity with the hiring process for the -per-hour digital escort positions the tech employees being hired to do the supervising lacked the adequate tech expertise to prevent a rogue Chinese employee from hacking the system or turning over classified information to the CCP The sources elaborated that the escorts often former military personnel were hired for their protection clearances more than their technical abilities and often lacked the skills to evaluate code being used by the engineers they were supervising HEGSETH ABRUPTLY PULLS PENTAGON PERSONNEL FROM GLOBALIST ASPEN CONFERENCEMicrosoft used its escort system to handle sensitive regime information that falls below classified the ProPublica analysis indicated That includes evidence that involves the protection of life and financial ruin At the Defense Department the records is categorized as Impact Level four and five which ProPublica shared includes materials directly supporting military operations People in China are governed by sweeping laws compelling establishment cooperation with facts collection efforts Before Microsoft's announcement Friday that it would be ceasing its use of China-based engineers for sensitive Defense Department programs the company defended its digital escort scheme noting all personnel and contractors with privileged access must pass federally approved background checks The company also pointed to a response from the Defense Information Systems Agency which revealed that digital escorts are used in select unclassified environments For selected technical requests Microsoft engages our band of global subject-matter experts to provide advocacy through authorized U S personnel consistent with U S ruling body requirements and processes a company spokesperson informed Fox News Digital Tuesday In these instances global assistance personnel have no direct access to customer statistics or customer systems The spokesperson added at the time that Microsoft adheres to the federal safety requirements outlined by the Defense Department and the Federal Jeopardy and Authorization Management Campaign established in to address the risks associated with moving from entirely government-controlled servers to cloud-based computing We establish layers of mitigation at the platform level with safety and monitoring controls to detect and prevent threats This includes approval workflows for system changes and automated code reviews to briskly detect and prevent the introduction of vulnerabilities the spokesperson revealed This production system patronage model is approved and regularly audited by the U S executive Fox News Digital reached out to the Pentagon to inquire whether Microsoft's action changes its planned research but did not receive a response by publication time