state government

Georgetown’s CSET Scrutinizes State Spending on Banned Foreign Tech Threats

Posted on by China Tech Threat
CSET Joins Heritage and China Tech Threat in Calling for State Procurement Restrictions In July 2019, the Department of Defense Inspector General published a report exposing $30+ million in military spending on commercial over-the-shelf products such as Lexmark printers and Lenovo computers. These companies are dangerous, among other reasons, because they give the Chinese government a potential access point to sensitive data. Early the next year, China Tech Threat conducted a thorough review of state contracts and spending on both companies, confirming that about 40 states purchased products from Lenovo and Lexmark. Today Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) published a new study that extends and expands on China Tech Threat’s earlier work. “Banned in D.C.: Examining… Read More

New Heritage Foundation Report: Chinese Technology Infiltrating State Governments

Posted on by China Tech Threat
Michael Cunningham of the Heritage Foundation has written an excellent new report: “Why State Legislatures Must Confront Chinese Infiltration.” The report covers myriad Chinese influence and intrusion activities taking place inside the U.S. One of the reports key imperatives is, “Preventing companies linked to the Chinese government from obtaining contracts to build critical infrastructure or supply technology to state government organizations.” Cunningham elaborates on the dangers of state governments letting Chinese-owned companies into their systems: When Americans allow firms controlled by a geopolitical rival to build their critical infrastructure, they practically invite the Chinese to embed vulnerabilities they can exploit in times of conflict. When Americans procure technology from a geopolitical foe, they invite that foe inside the systems used… Read More