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 inspection this week led to national defense concerns at the highest levels over a plan that Microsoft has used since A ProPublica overview published Tuesday accused Microsoft of allowing China-based engineers to assist with Pentagon cloud systems with inadequate guardrails in an effort to scale up its executive 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 assistance for U S ruling body customers to assure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance for DOD cabinet cloud and related services Frank Shaw chief communications officer at Microsoft disclosed We remain committed to providing the bulk secure services viable to the U S regime including working with our national prevention partners to evaluate and adjust our protection protocols as needed The ProPublica description published earlier this week which spurred Microsoft's action cited current and former employees and regime contractors who worked on a cloud computing operation deployed by Microsoft in The undertaking meant to meet federal contracting regulations used a system of digital escort chaperones for global cybersecurity functionaries such as those based in China meant to create a protection buffer so that they can work on agency computing systems DOD guidelines require that people handling sensitive records 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 selected 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 measure 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 EXECUTIVES FROM GLOBALIST ASPEN CONFERENCEMicrosoft used its escort system to handle sensitive ruling body information that falls below classified the ProPublica record indicated That includes records that involves the protection of life and financial ruin At the Defense Department the figures is categorized as Impact Level four and five which ProPublica communicated includes materials directly supporting military operations People in China are governed by sweeping laws compelling cabinet cooperation with details 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 operation 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 disclosed that digital escorts are used in select unclassified environments For selected technical requests Microsoft engages our squad of global subject-matter experts to provide backing through authorized U S personnel consistent with U S establishment requirements and processes a company spokesperson advised Fox News Digital Tuesday In these instances global patronage personnel have no direct access to customer input or customer systems The spokesperson added at the time that Microsoft adheres to the federal assurance requirements outlined by the Defense Department and the Federal Peril and Authorization Management Effort 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 safeguard 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 mentioned This production system sponsorship model is approved and regularly audited by the U S governing body Fox News Digital reached out to the Pentagon to inquire whether Microsoft's action changes its planned study but did not receive a response by publication time