Microsoft said it has stopped using engineers based in China to support its U.S. military cloud services, following questions raised by a recent media report and a response from the Pentagon.
The company announced the change on Friday through its spokesperson on X, saying the step was taken earlier this week to ensure that no technical assistance for the Pentagon is being provided by teams in China.
The announcement followed an investigative report by ProPublica, which detailed how Microsoft had used engineers located in China to work on cloud computing systems for the U.S. military. These engineers were monitored by U.S.-based “digital escorts” with security clearances but limited technical expertise.
The report prompted concerns about cybersecurity risks and possible threats to U.S. defence systems.
Microsoft, a key U.S. government contractor, said it had disclosed its practices to the government during the authorization process. The company has previously been targeted by hackers linked to both China and Russia.
In response to the report, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said he is launching a two-week review of all Defence Department cloud service contracts to verify that no China-based personnel are working on them. In a video posted on X, Hegseth said that China will no longer have any involvement in military cloud services.
Senator Tom Cotton also sent a letter to Hegseth asking for a list of all defence contractors using Chinese workers and details on how digital escorts are trained to detect suspicious activity. He noted that China’s cyber operations pose one of the most serious threats to U.S. security and said the military must safeguard its supply chain at all levels.
Hegseth said the Pentagon will continue monitoring and countering threats to its systems and infrastructure as part of its broader cybersecurity efforts.
