News Microsoft to stop using engineers in China to work on U.S. Defense computer systems in wake of investigative report — fears of exploitation by fore...

[Admin]

Microsoft's China-based engineers will no longer get to work on its U.S. DoD projects.

Microsoft to stop using engineers in China to work on U.S. Defense computer systems in wake of investigative report — fears of exploitation by fore... : Read more

 

[thisisaname]

Why were they allowed to do it in the first place?

 

[chaz_music]

Why were they allowed to do it in the first place?

Yep. Letting foreign engineers work on military systems doesn't quite pass the common sense test, does it? But we have even found North Koreans working on US projects before. As well as other US adversaries. With spycraft being so bad these days, why tempt fate by making it easy to bring the spies right into the middle of military projects?

 

[The Historical Fidelity]

My first reaction was “are you serious Microsoft?”

 

[ex_bubblehead]

This calls for the government to cancel all contracts with Microsoft, immediately, and place at least a 15 year block on their bidding on any new government contracts. Back in my day it would be a permanent ban. There is absolutely no wiggle room when it comes to secure systems and projects.

 

[LibertyWell]

Uh, this is by design.

There are many reasons why this is by design but i will spare you.

Suffice it to say, that this could not ever happen at this level unless it was intended.

You are the target…

 

[USAFRet]

This calls for the government to cancel all contracts with Microsoft, immediately, and place at least a 15 year block on their bidding on any new government contracts.

hahaha....

The current invasion of MS into the DoD is deep and irreversible.

 

[-Fran-]

When Capitalist values don't align with Patriotism.

Also, big facepalm to the DOD for not even checking or putting it as a requirement in the contracts.

Regards.

 

[Elusive Ruse]

As if Microsoft wasn’t unlikeable enough.

 

[thestryker]

When Capitalist values don't align with Patriotism.

Also, big facepalm to the DOD for not even checking or putting it as a requirement in the contracts.

This right here is exactly what it is. You can expect any company to do whatever is easiest and cheapest. The contracting clearly didn't take into account the possibility of the people on premises not being the only ones in the chain.

 

[S58_is_the_goat]

Why were they allowed to do it in the first place?

Listen here mister, our shareholders are really important to us and we deeply care about their returns... don't be such a negative cheap labor nancy!

 

[Air2004]

Uh, this is by design.

There are many reasons why this is by design but i will spare you.

Suffice it to say, that this could not ever happen at this level unless it was intended.

You are the target…

I'm picking up what you're putting down.

 

[tamalero]

Why were they allowed to do it in the first place?

Money...

Most companies do not give a darn except to get some shareholders and CEO rich

 

[magbarn]

The true question is how much has the DoD's computer systems have been compromised by this unforced "error"?

 

[pug_s]

Who needs hackers from China when you have Microsoft?

 

[ET3D]

It would be interesting to know what work these people did. From what I could understand from the articles, these were technical support engineers dealing with Microsoft cloud machines that the DoD used. This could be something quite limited in scope, and it's not clear from the articles.

 

[COLGeek]

These fouls are not limited to Microsoft by any means. Nor is this something new/unaware by US Government contracting officers. When these issues have been found and addressed via official channels, they are often ignored/downplayed, which is unfortunate.

Promises to "fix" are not enough. There needs to be skin in the game, enough to truly get the attention of all the players.

"US Only/NOFORN" only works if strictly enforced and should only be on contract when warranted.

Now, the threat may be a smidge overblown in this (and many) cases. If you use commercial products, you get commercial risks. If you use inappropriate products in inappropriate places, you inherent those risks.

 

[anoldnewb]

It would be interesting to know what work these people did. From what I could understand from the articles, these were technical support engineers dealing with Microsoft cloud machines that the DoD used. This could be something quite limited in scope, and it's not clear from the articles.

Tech support engineers with admin rights?