
Microsoft Halts China-based Tech Support for Pentagon Systems
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth confirmed that work on Defense Department cloud services had been outsourced to people in China, insisting that the country will not have "any involvement whatsoever" with the department's systems going forward.
"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," the company's chief communications officer, Frank Shaw, said in a post on X.
ProPublica reported Tuesday that the tech giant was using engineers based in China -- Washington's primary military rival -- to maintain Pentagon computer systems, with only limited supervision by US personnel who often lacked the necessary expertise to do the job effectively.
US Senator Tom Cotton asked Hegseth to look into the matter in a letter dated Thursday, and the Pentagon chief responded that he would do so.
Hegseth then posted a video on X Friday evening in which he said "it turns out that some tech companies have been using cheap Chinese labor to assist with DoD cloud services. This is obviously unacceptable, especially in today's digital threat environment."
"At my direction, the department will... initiate -- as fast as we can -- a two-week review, or faster, to make sure that what we uncovered isn't happening anywhere else across the DoD," AFP quoted him as saying.
"We will continue to monitor and counter all threats to our military infrastructure and online networks," he added, thanking "all those Americans out there in the media and elsewhere who raised this issue to our attention so we could address it."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Asharq Al-Awsat
3 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Global Hack on Microsoft Hits US State Agencies
Hackers exploited a major security flaw in widely used Microsoft server software to launch a global attack on government agencies and businesses in the past few days, breaching US federal and state agencies, universities, energy companies and an Asian telecommunications company, according to state officials and private researchers. Microsoft on Saturday issued an alert about 'active attacks' on self-hosted SharePoint servers, which are widely used by organizations to share documents and collaborate within organizations. SharePoint instances run off of Microsoft servers were unaffected. The FBI said on Sunday it was aware of the attacks and was working closely with its federal and private-sector partners, but offered no other details. The 'zero-day' attack, so called because it targeted a previously unknown vulnerability, is only the latest cybersecurity embarrassment for Microsoft. Last year, the company was faulted by a panel of US government and industry experts for lapses that enabled a 2023 targeted Chinese hack of US government emails, including those of then-Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. This most recent attack compromises only those servers housed within an organization — not those in the cloud, such as Microsoft 365, officials said. After first suggesting that users make modifications to or simply unplug SharePoint server programs from the internet, the company on Sunday evening released a patch for one version of the software. Two other versions remain vulnerable and Microsoft said it is continuing to work to develop a patch. Microsoft updated its guidance Sunday with instructions to fix the problem for SharePoint Server 2019 and SharePoint Server Subscription Edition. Engineers were still working on a fix for the older SharePoint Server 2016 software. 'Anybody who's got a hosted SharePoint server has got a problem,' said Adam Meyers, senior vice president with CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm. 'It's a significant vulnerability.' Pete Renals, a senior manager with Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 said, 'We are seeing attempts to exploit thousands of SharePoint servers globally before a patch is available. We have identified dozens of compromised organizations spanning both commercial and government sectors.'' With access to these servers, which often connect to Outlook email, Teams and other core services, a breach can lead to theft of sensitive data as well as password harvesting, Netherlands-based research company Eye Security noted, according to The Washington Post. What's also alarming, researchers said, is that the hackers have gained access to keys that may allow them to regain entry even after a system is patched. 'So pushing out a patch on Monday or Tuesday doesn't help anybody who's been compromised in the past 72 hours,' said one researcher, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because a federal investigation is ongoing. It was not immediately clear who is behind the hacking of global reach or what its ultimate goal is. One private research company found the hackers targeting servers in China as well as a state legislature in the eastern United States. Eye Security said it has tracked more than 50 breaches, including at an energy company in a large state and several European government agencies. Others that were breached included a government agency in Spain, a local agency in Albuquerque and a university in Brazil, security researchers said. One state official in the eastern US said the attackers had 'hijacked' a repository of documents provided to the public to help residents understand how their government works. The agency involved can no longer access the material, but it wasn't clear whether it was deleted. Some security companies said they had not seen deletions in the SharePoint attacks, only the theft of cryptographic keys that would allow the hackers to reenter the servers. CISA spokesperson Marci McCarthy said the agency was alerted to the issue Friday by a cyber research firm and immediately contacted Microsoft. Microsoft has been faulted in the past for issuing fixes that are too narrowly designed and leave similar avenues open to attack.


Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Oil Updates — prices fall as trade war concerns increase worries about fuel demand
SINGAPORE: Oil prices declined on Tuesday amid concerns the brewing trade war between major crude consumers, the US and the EU, will curb fuel demand growth by lowering economic activity. Brent crude futures were down 28 cents, or 0.40 percent, to $68.93 a barrel at 8:58 Saudi time. US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $66.83 a barrel, down 37 cents, or 0.55 percent. Both benchmarks settled slightly lower on Monday. The August WTI contract expires on Tuesday, and the more active September contract was down 29 cents, or 0.44 percent, to $65.66 a barrel. 'Broad demand concerns continue to simmer amid escalating global trade tensions, especially as markets eye the latest tariff threats between major economies and Trump's potential announcements ahead of the August 1 deadline,' said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova. 'Investors are also eyeing the ripple effects of fresh US sanctions on Russian crude,' she added. Supply concerns have largely been alleviated by major producers raising output, and since a ceasefire on June 24 ended the conflict between Israel and Iran. However, investors are increasingly worried about the global economy amid US trade policy changes. A weaker US dollar has provided some backing for crude as buyers using other currencies are paying relatively less. Prices have slipped 'as trade war concerns offset the support by a softer (US dollar),' IG market analyst Tony Sycamore wrote in a note. Sycamore also pointed to the possibility of an escalation in the trade dispute between the US and the EU over tariffs. The EU is exploring a broader set of possible counter-measures against the United States as prospects for an acceptable trade agreement with Washington fade, according to EU diplomats. The US has threatened to impose a 30 percent tariff on EU imports on Aug. 1 if a deal is not reached. There are also signs that rising oil supply has entered the market as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies unwind output cuts. Saudi Arabia's crude oil exports in May rose to their highest in three months, data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative showed on Monday.


Al Arabiya
20 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Over 5.2 million pools sold across the U.S. and Canada are under recall after reports of nine deaths
More than 5.2 million aboveground swimming pools sold across the US and Canada over the last two decades are being recalled after nine drowning deaths were reported. The recall covers a range of Bestway, Intex Recreation, and Polygroup pools that were sold by major retailers as far back as 2002. According to Monday notices published by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, these pools have compression straps running along the outside of the product – which may create a foothold for small children and allow them to access the water unattended. That can pose a serious drowning risk, the safety regulators warn. To date, the CPSC believes nine children across the US have drowned after gaining access to these now-recalled pools in this way. Those deaths occurred between 2007 and 2022, involving children between the ages of 22 months and 3 years old. No additional fatalities have been reported in Canada. Consumers in possession of these pools are urged to immediately contact Bestway, Intex, and/or Polygroup to receive a free repair kit – which will consist of a rope to replace the compression strap. Owners of these pools should otherwise ensure that small children cannot access the pool without supervision, regulators note – and could alternatively drain the pool until the repair is made. All of the pools being recalled are 48 inches or taller – and can be identified by brand and model names listed on both the CPSC and Health Canada's recall notices. Sales of the pools ranged by model and location but date as far back as 2002 and as recently as 2025. About 5 million of these now-recalled pools were sold across the US – including both online and in-stores at major retailers like Walmart, Target, Lowes, Costco, and Amazon. Another 266,000 were sold in Canada.