Hajra Naz
Microsoft has announced that it will no longer allow engineers based in China to support cloud computing systems used by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The decision comes in response to a ProPublica investigation that raised serious concerns about foreign access to sensitive military-related systems.
According to the ProPublica report, Microsoft had previously used engineers in China to help maintain cloud infrastructure tied to DoD contracts. These engineers worked under a system that relied on “digital escorts”—U.S. citizens with security clearances—who were tasked with monitoring and supervising the remote support sessions.
However, the report revealed that these digital escorts often lacked the technical knowledge needed to fully understand or oversee the work being done. In some cases, they were unable to verify what the foreign engineers were accessing or doing, raising concerns about potential security risks.
The report drew swift criticism from national security voices. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“Foreign engineers—from any country, including, of course, China—should NEVER be allowed to maintain or access DoD systems.”
In response to the backlash, Microsoft moved quickly to change course. Frank X. Shaw, the company’s chief communications officer, stated on Friday, confirming the policy shift:
“In response to concerns raised earlier this week about US-supervised foreign engineers, Microsoft has made changes to our support for US government customers to assure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance for DoD government cloud and related services.”
This move shows rising concern over using foreign workers—especially from China—on U.S. national security projects. It also points to a larger trend. U.S. tech companies are tightening rules on government contracts as global tensions grow.
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Cybersecurity experts have warned about the risks for years. Foreign access to sensitive systems, like military or intelligence data, can be dangerous. Even with supervision, remote access can create weak spots. Hackers or human error can turn them into real threats.
Microsoft said the support was supervised and followed the rules. Still, the company knows trust needs to be rebuilt. It wants to avoid any chance of a security breach in the future.
This change shows Microsoft is taking stronger control. It wants to meet the U.S. government’s high standards for protecting data.
It also sends a clear message to the tech world: when working with defense, there’s no room for mistakes. Public trust must come first.
