Overview

• Microsoft confirmed it will no longer employ engineers in China to provide technical assistance for Defense Department cloud and related services.
• The Pentagon has initiated a two-week review of its cloud contracts to root out any foreign personnel involvement in sensitive systems.
• Senator Tom Cotton has requested detailed lists of contractors using Chinese staff and information on how U.S. digital escorts are trained.
• ProPublica found that U.S. digital escorts often lacked the technical expertise needed to detect malicious activity by China-based engineers.
• The shift highlights broader concerns over supply-chain security and escalating U.S.-China cyber rivalry in defense infrastructure.