Microsoft Halts Use of China-Based Engineers for U.S. Military Tech Support Amid Security Concerns
Microsoft announced it will no longer use engineers based in China to provide technical assistance for U.S. military cloud computing systems. The move follows a bombshell investigative report from ProPublica and mounting pressure from U.S. lawmakers and defence officials over cybersecurity concerns.
The ProPublica report revealed that Microsoft had been employing Chinese engineers, supervised by U.S.-cleared subcontractors known as “digital escorts”, to support sensitive Pentagon cloud projects. These digital escorts, while vetted for security clearances, reportedly lacked the technical expertise to effectively monitor for potential cybersecurity risks.
The news sparked an immediate response from Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee and is a member of the Armed Services Committee. In a letter sent Friday, Cotton demanded a full list of contractors using Chinese personnel and questioned the training protocols for digital escorts tasked with guarding national defence infrastructure.
“The U.S. government recognizes that China’s cyber capabilities pose one of the most aggressive and dangerous threats to the United States,” Cotton wrote. “The military must guard against all potential threats within its supply chain, including those from subcontractors.”
Microsoft, one of the largest U.S. defence contractors, has faced criticism in the past over cyber breaches linked to Chinese and Russian hackers. The company said it had disclosed its practices involving China-based teams during the federal authorisation process. However, after fresh scrutiny this week, the company confirmed a shift in its strategy. “In response to concerns raised earlier this week, we’ve changed how we support U.S. government customers to assure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance,” said Frank Shaw, Microsoft spokesperson, in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
On the same day, U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth released a video statement on X, announcing a full-scale review of cloud services contracts across the Department of Defence. “Effective immediately, China will no longer have any involvement whatsoever in our cloud services,” Hegseth said. “We will continue to monitor and counter all threats to our military infrastructure and online networks.”
Hegseth ordered a two-week review to ensure no other Defence Department cloud services rely on foreign-based technical teams, especially from countries deemed national security threats.
