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South Carolina’s Contracts with Chinese Government-Owned Technology Vendors
Sensitive Personal and Financial Information is at Risk
Learn More about the Impact in South Carolina
The Problem
Chinese government-owned technology manufacturers, including PC-giant Lenovo, have been banned by U.S. military and intelligence agencies due to fears of information security. (Read the report)
Who can take action?
This includes state leaders like Delbert Singleton of the Division Director of Procurement Services who leads the procurement division of SC. (Read more)
Chief Information Officer Keith Osman, two leaders not commonly in the public light but whose work is imperative to state cyber security. (Read more)
Congressional Delegation Works to Combat Chinese Tech
SC Representative Jeff Duncan works to combat foreign data transfers through the proposed TELL Act. Rep. Duncan stated, “These kinds of threatening actions have woefully become the Chinese Community Party’s new normal, and it’s time that Congress started pushing back. That’s why I’ve introduced the Telling Everyone the Location of data Leaving the United States Act, also known as the “TELL” Act. (Read more)
Senator Lindsey Graham has taken action regarding Chinese government actions in the tech sector and also the threat the Communist Party poses to American national security. (See more of Sen. Graham’s work here.)
Senator Tim Scott worked to secure provisions fighting Chinese theft of critical national security technologies and intellectual property. (See more from Sen. Scott here.)
Analysis
Despite military and intelligence agency bans, the South Carolina State Government has spent $4 million on Chinese-owned Lenovo equipment in the last three years. (See the Freedom of Information Request response here and response summary here.)
Select Vulnerabilities:
The use of banned Chinese government-owned technology vendors by these agencies endangers South Carolina’s personal and financial information.
The Corrections Department handles the processing and detainment of criminals in South Carolina.. They have spent $46,757.74 on Lenovo equipment.
The State Department of Revenue is tasked with enforcing tax law and processing personal income information. The office has spent $1,547,615.47 with Lenovo.
The Department of Education manages both primary education and state collegiate systems. The office has spent $1,440,884.38 with Lenovo.
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor is the second highest state office. The office has spent $38,442.71 on Lenovo products.