DHS Bans DeepSeek From US Civilian Agencies Over Data Security Concerns
11 Sources
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US civilian agencies can't use DeepSeek, DHS says.
The Department of Homeland Security ordered the agencies to remove any technology created by the Chinese AI company over concerns that its models may transfer "sensitive data to the PRC," according to Reuters. The ban also prevents civilian agencies from using third-party services that integrate
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Homeland Security bans DeepSeek use in federal civilian agencies - Engadget
The decision comes a couple of days after the release of the company's latest AI model. The Department of Homeland Security has issued a sweeping restriction to remove DeepSeek use across all federal civilian agencies and their IT systems. In a notice published with the Federal Register, DHS
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US bans DeepSeek AI from government use as tech tension with China continues
The US has ordered all artificial intelligence (AI) technology from the Chinese firm DeepSeek to be removed from most government systems. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has banned all use of DeepSeek within civilian government agencies, and any technology built with the aid of its AI
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US orders civilian federal agencies to remove DeepSeek from their systems
A Homeland Security order also bars agencies from buying DeepSeek products or tools built on its models. The Department of Homeland Security has ordered US civilian federal agencies to remove DeepSeek products from their IT systems and stop buying them, under a 2018 supply chain security law. The
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DeepSeek barred from U.S. civilian agency systems and contracts
Homeland Security's order also excludes the Chinese AI company and its affiliates from federal procurements under a 2018 supply chain law The Department of Homeland Security ordered civilian federal agencies to remove DeepSeek products from their information technology systems and excluded the
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US Orders Civilian Agencies to Rip DeepSeek Out of Government Systems
The Department of Homeland Security told civilian agencies to remove China's DeepSeek and any service built on it, and banned buying more, citing the risk of sensitive data reaching Beijing. In brief * DHS directed U.S. civilian agencies on Monday to remove DeepSeek products and third-party
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US banning Chinese AI DeepSeek from government agency IT systems
The US Homeland Security Department is ordering the removal of DeepSeek products and third-party services using the Chinese AI model from US civilian agency IT systems, according to a notice published Monday. The department is also banning acquisition of DeepSeek products and third-party services
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DHS Bans DeepSeek Across Federal Government Networks | PYMNTS.com
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued an order banning federal civilian agencies from acquiring products and services developed by DeepSeek and requiring them to remove the company's products from their information technology. DHS included these requirements in a notice of order
[9]
DeepSeek AI Ban: Why US is Blocking it from Government Networks?
The US Department of Homeland Security has ordered civilian government agencies to remove DeepSeek AI and related third-party services from their IT systems, citing potential data security risks. The United States has ordered civilian government agencies to remove Chinese AI platform DeepSeek from
[10]
U.S. banning Chinese AI DeepSeek from government agency IT systems
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Homeland Security Department is ordering the removal of DeepSeek products and third-party services using the Chinese AI model from U.S. civilian agency IT systems, according to a notice published Monday. The department is also banning acquisition of DeepSeek products and
[11]
US banning Chinese AI DeepSeek from government agency IT systems
WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Homeland Security Department is ordering the removal of DeepSeek products and third-party services using the Chinese AI model from U.S. civilian agency IT systems, according to a notice published Monday. The department is also banning acquisition of DeepSeek
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The Department of Homeland Security has ordered all US civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek AI technology from their systems, citing risks of sensitive data transfer to China. The sweeping ban also blocks the Chinese AI company from federal contracts and prohibits third-party services using DeepSeek models.
The Department of Homeland Security has issued a comprehensive order banning DeepSeek from all US civilian agencies, marking a significant escalation in tech tension with China. The directive, signed by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on July 24 and published in the Federal Register, requires immediate removal of all DeepSeek products from federal IT systems
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.National Security Measure Targets Chinese AI Company
The DHS ban encompasses civilian agencies including the Department of the Treasury, Department of State, and Department of Justice, though Department of Defense agencies remain excluded
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. The order was issued under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 after reviewing recommendations from the Federal Acquisition Security Council5
. DHS characterized the risks as potentially resulting in the "transfer of sensitive data" of US government employees and vendors to the People's Republic of China2
.Remove DeepSeek From Systems: Sweeping Scope
The order's reach extends beyond direct DeepSeek products. Federal civilian agencies must also eliminate third-party services that integrate DeepSeek's open-source AI models
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. This affects US tech companies like Snowflake, Vercel, and OpenRouter, which incorporate DeepSeek in their customer offerings3
. DHS stated that DeepSeek's models could "contain malware or other security vulnerabilities," creating "multiple threat vectors"2
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.Foreign AI Technologies Under Scrutiny
The timing coincides with DeepSeek's release of its latest model, V4.1-Flash-1017, which the Chinese AI company promoted as "smarter, faster, more efficient"
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. DeepSeek has disrupted the AI market with dramatically lower development costs—approximately $6 million to train its debut model compared to OpenAI's roughly $100 million for GPT-43
. These revelations previously sent tech stocks tumbling as startups flocked to the cost-effective open-source AI models.Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Implications
The ban also prohibits DeepSeek from participating in any federal government contracts, effectively excluding Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd and affiliated entities from federal procurements
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. The government cited concerns that DeepSeek collects substantial user data that could be passed to Beijing under Chinese security laws4
.Related Stories
Model Distillation Accusations Fuel Tensions
US officials have accused Chinese AI labs of copying American models through model distillation, a technique where one model trains on another's outputs. Anthropic alleged in a September report that DeepSeek engaged in illicit distillation without permission, logging over 12 million exchanges tied to DeepSeek's distillation activity over two weeks in July 2026
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. OpenAI similarly told US lawmakers that DeepSeek used this method to build its R1 chatbot4
.Broader Pattern of Sensitive Data Exposure Concerns
Several government entities had already restricted DeepSeek before the federal order. A Pentagon IT agency blocked its chatbot in January 2025, while the Commerce Department and Navy banned it on work devices
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. States including New York, Tennessee, and Virginia implemented similar measures. White House tech lead Michael Kratsios wrote in an internal memo earlier this year about "malicious exploitation" of American AI firms, primarily by rival firms in China3
.Questions regarding the order should be directed to the FASCSA Order Implementation Team in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's Cybersecurity Division
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. The Chinese embassy in Washington and DeepSeek have not responded to requests for comment3
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