DHS bans DeepSeek AI from federal civilian agencies over China data risks
Homeland Security bars the Chinese AI model from federal IT systems, citing national security threats and potential data exposure to Beijing.
Key points
- DHS bans DeepSeek products for civilian federal agencies via Federal Register notice.
- The order cites risks of data storage on Chinese servers and mass collection.
- Agencies must remove existing DeepSeek versions and halt future procurements.
The Department of Homeland Security is banning civilian federal agencies from using DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence model. According to CyberScoop, the order cites national security concerns regarding data transmission to servers in China and potential malware risks to federal IT infrastructure.
The ban, set to publish in the Federal Register on Tuesday, bars agencies from buying IT products from Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence. The notice references the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Act and a review by the Federal Acquisition Security Council. It includes a letter from Secretary Markwayne Mullin dated June 26, indicating the exclusion has been in effect for months.
National Security Concerns
Secretary Mullin stated that DeepSeek models present multiple threat vectors to federal systems. He noted that some risks are unique to the company’s country of origin, while others involve privacy and mass data collection. Mullin argued that these concerns could apply to other Chinese and U.S. AI models as well.
Mullin wrote that DeepSeek stores data in servers based in China. He highlighted that Chinese national security laws allow the government to request and obtain data from domestic companies with wide latitude. This legal framework creates a pathway for sensitive information to be accessed by foreign adversaries.
According to the DHS letter, models hosted by DeepSeek collect personally identifiable information and trace users’ digital fingerprints online. Mullin warned that the standard prompt-and-response process may result in the transfer of sensitive data to the Chinese government. He stated that combining this data with public information could produce actionable intelligence on U.S. persons or government programs.
Scope of the Ban
The decision excludes federal agencies from using one of the most popular Chinese open-weight AI models. This action comes more than a year after U.S. frontier AI companies and the federal government accused DeepSeek’s makers of systematically distilling their models. The ban reinforces previous discretionary blocks by agencies, as confirmed by the Department of Commerce last year.
Civilian agencies must exclude DeepSeek products from all future procurements. The order also requires the removal of any DeepSeek versions that were implemented prior to the ban. CyberScoop reported that it reached out to CISA and DHS for further details regarding the implementation timeline and specific technical guidance.
What should you do?
Organizations should audit their current AI tool inventory to identify any use of DeepSeek or its affiliates. Federal civilian entities must comply with the procurement ban and remove existing installations. Private sector users should review their data handling policies regarding Chinese-hosted AI models and assess potential exposure to foreign data access laws.
What to do and how to stay safe: DeepSeek
- Conduct an immediate inventory of all AI models and tools currently in use to identify any DeepSeek products or services.
- Review procurement contracts and vendor agreements to ensure no future purchases involve Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence or its affiliates.
- Assess data handling policies for any AI tools that store data on servers located in countries with expansive national security data access laws.
- Monitor official Federal Register publications and guidance from CISA for updates on prohibited technologies and compliance requirements.
Step-by-step guide: Endpoint Detection and Response Examples: How EDR Stops Hidden Threats
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
Why is DHS banning DeepSeek?
DHS cites national security risks, including the storage of data on servers in China and the potential for the Chinese government to access that data.
Does the ban apply to all federal agencies?
The order specifically bans the use of DeepSeek by civilian federal agencies, requiring them to stop purchases and remove existing versions.
When was the ban implemented?
The notice includes a letter from Secretary Mullin dated June 26, indicating the ban has been in place for months before the Federal Register publication.
