A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) directive requires civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek technology embedded in products sold by other vendors, extending restrictions beyond tools bearing the Chinese company's name.
Agencies must take out DeepSeek and affiliate offerings, along with products or services from other suppliers that incorporate DeepSeek technology. The directive also bars agencies from procuring information technology developed by DeepSeek or affiliated companies. That purchasing restriction reaches third-party providers when they use DeepSeek technology to supply a product or service to the government.
The order covers civilian executive branch agencies. It excludes national security systems and secure compartmented information systems. DHS relied on the 2018 Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act after the Federal Acquisition Security Council recommended action.
DHS said information entered into DeepSeek’s widely used applications could be exposed to China. That warning concerns data submitted to those applications; the agency did not cite a confirmed disclosure.
The order took effect when issued July 24. DHS made it public Oct. 19, and it appeared in the Federal Register on Oct. 20. Agencies had 60 days from issuance to submit written requests for exceptions, a period that had already elapsed by publication. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) decides those requests. Federal law requires the order to be reviewed at least once a year.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Oct. 20 that China opposed using national security arguments to politicize technology and trade, and would protect the lawful interests of Chinese businesses. Her remarks were detailed in earlier coverage of China’s response.
