Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) is asking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for information on Microsoft’s use of Chinese engineers to maintain Pentagon cloud computing systems, warning that the practice may expose “our nation’s most sensitive data to a foreign adversary.”
“In light of recent and concerning reports about Microsoft using engineers in China to maintain DoD systems, I’ve asked @SecDef to look into the matter,” Cotton said in a Friday X post, sharing a letter he sent to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“We must guard against all threats within our military’s supply chain,” the senator added.
In his letter, Cotton wrote that his concerns stem from a report that “Microsoft is currently employing engineers in China to maintain Department of Defense systems.”
Cotton is citing a ProPublica article, titled, “A Little-Known Microsoft Program Could Expose the Defense Department to Chinese Hackers,” which detailed the tech giant’s use of Chinese engineers.
“Chinese state-sponsored hacking campaigns have long targeted U.S. officials through Microsoft systems. Now Microsoft is allegedly relying on U.S. citizens as ‘digital escorts’ to supervise these Chinese engineers’ activities on DoD systems,” Cotton said.
“While this arrangement technically meets the requirement that U.S. citizens handle sensitive data, digital escorts often do not have the technical training or expertise needed to catch malicious code or suspicious behavior,” the senator added.
Cotton went on to say “The U.S. government recognizes that China’s cyber capabilities pose one of the most aggressive and dangerous threats to the United States, as evidenced by infiltration of our critical infrastructure, telecommunications networks, and supply chains.”
The senator is now asking for a list of the Defense Department’s “contractors that hire Chinese personnel to provide maintenance or other services on DoD systems,” and “a list of subcontractors that hire digital escorts for Microsoft, or any other entity, and their interview and technical assessment for candidates.”
Cotton is also seeking information on the training that contractors or subcontractors “provide to digital escorts on how to identify suspicious activity.”
On Friday, Hegseth responded to Cotton’s concerns, calling them “spot on” and saying he “fully” agrees with the senator, adding that the Department of Defense “is already looking into this ASAP.”
“Foreign engineers — from any country, including of course China — should NEVER be allowed to maintain or access DoD systems,” Hegseth said.
Breitbart News will continue to follow the usage of Chinese engineers to maintain sensitive government systems and the investigation that unfolds.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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