This seems ... unwise. On a variety of levels.
It turns out Chinese 'digital escorts' are helping maintain the Pentagon's computer systems.
No, really:
No big deal, iust Microsoft using engineers in China to help maintain the Defense Department’s computer systems. I couldn’t possibly imagine anything wrong with this. pic.twitter.com/yNpNLf5qey
— Isaac Stone Fish (@isaacstonefish) July 15, 2025
Here's more from ProPublica (emphasis added):
Microsoft is using engineers in China to help maintain the Defense Department’s computer systems — with minimal supervision by U.S. personnel — leaving some of the nation’s most sensitive data vulnerable to hacking from its leading cyber adversary, a ProPublica investigation has found.
The arrangement, which was critical to Microsoft winning the federal government’s cloud computing business a decade ago, relies on U.S. citizens with security clearances to oversee the work and serve as a barrier against espionage and sabotage.
But these workers, known as “digital escorts,” often lack the technical expertise to police foreign engineers with far more advanced skills, ProPublica found. Some are former military personnel with little coding experience who are paid barely more than minimum wage for the work.
This is ridiculous. And an Obama-era policy.
Thanks, Barack!
If this ProPublica investigation is accurate, this is a massive oversight. Trusting 'digital escorts' with minimal tech experience sounds like a recipe for disaster.
— Excel For Freelancers (@Excel4Freelance) July 16, 2025
A huge recipe for disaster.
No way should any US related system be managed outside of the US.
— Thearith Ung (@ThearithUng) July 16, 2025
None whatsoever.
There is just no good reason Microsoft should be allowed to remain in JEDI 2. Pull them off right now. https://t.co/ct6uGiNZsP
— DC (@ChelenaDrew) July 16, 2025
Immediately.
Someone must go to jail for this: Engineers in China maintain the Pentagon’s computer systems. https://t.co/ydRVeQthyw
— Gordon G. Chang (@GordonGChang) July 15, 2025
Yes.
Now you know why they didn’t want Elon in there…. https://t.co/kBVJFp2j12
— Paula (@paulacarver) July 16, 2025
That stuff makes sense now.
This demands @fbi & @TheJusticeDept investigation. @FBIDirectorKash @ChadMizelle47 @DAGToddBlanche @WhiteHouse @Scavino47 @StevenCheung47 @PeteHegseth @SecDef https://t.co/OPygBSdUdt
— Harold__Finch (@HaroldWren22) July 16, 2025
It demands more than an investigation. It demands action.
Are we living in “Crazy Land?” What general approved expenditures to the CCP to maintain defense dept computers?
— David Paulides🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸 (@canammissing) July 15, 2025
Friends, if you don’t think our military has Communists in it that are trying to destroy our country, read on.
This is treason and should be dealt with appropriately.… https://t.co/4gEt3RyAMk
Yes. We're living in Crazy Land.
Ok so, assuming that this is true, Microsoft is certainly violating the FAR here. This whole digital escort business even for what is deemed as confidential in term of classification should result in the total termination of Microsoft's Azure contract with the DOD. I'm not sure… https://t.co/EMh2YnrT35 pic.twitter.com/HZC7GZkfrh
— EV_Trapper (@EV_Trapper) July 16, 2025
All of this.
This is a major security issue that needs to be investigated and fixed ASAP.
— TheHidingGhost (@TheHidingGhost) July 16, 2025
I also highly doubt that we couldn't have started a program to use retired and cleared former millitary cyber folks to build/run things with the help of US based/cleared Microsoft contractors. https://t.co/0Yskbev7IT
Why didn't we?
We all know why.
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