Senator Tom Cotton Requests Information on Department of Defense Contractors Hiring Chinese Personnel

Senator Tom Cotton, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, has sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, expressing concerns about the hiring of Chinese personnel by Department of Defense contractors to maintain Department of Defense systems. This move follows a report that Microsoft is employing engineers in China to maintain Department of Defense systems, potentially exposing sensitive data to a foreign adversary. Senator Cotton emphasizes the need for the Department of Defense to guard against all potential threats within its supply chain, including those from subcontractors, citing China's cyber capabilities as a significant threat to the United States.

Key Takeaways:

• Senator Tom Cotton has sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, requesting information about Department of Defense contractors hiring Chinese personnel to provide maintenance and services to Department of Defense systems.
• The letter follows a report that Microsoft is employing engineers in China to maintain Department of Defense systems, potentially exposing sensitive data to a foreign adversary.
• Chinese state-sponsored hacking campaigns have targeted U.S. officials through Microsoft systems, highlighting the importance of securing sensitive data.
• The U.S. government recognizes China's cyber capabilities as a significant threat to the United States, citing infiltration of critical infrastructure, telecommunications networks, and supply chains.
• Senator Cotton requests information on:

+ A list of DoD contractors that hire Chinese personnel to provide maintenance or other services on DoD systems.

+ A list of subcontractors that hire digital escorts for Microsoft and their interview and technical assessment process.

+ The training contractors or subcontractors provide to digital escorts on how to identify suspicious activity.

+ Recommendations for closing existing loopholes in FedRAMP requirements.

• The letter highlights the need for the Department of Defense to guard against all potential threats within its supply chain, including those from subcontractors.

Statistics:

• Number of Department of Defense systems potentially exposed to foreign adversaries: Unknown.