House Committee urges Navy Exchange to cease Chinese computer sales.

The ⁤House Select ⁢Committee ‌on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is calling⁤ on the U.S.⁢ Navy Exchange to take action against Lenovo computers due to concerns about the company’s⁢ ties‍ with the⁤ CCP regime.

In a letter ​ addressed to ⁤Navy Exchange Service Command CEO Robert ⁤Bianchi on October 4th, House⁣ China⁤ Committee ⁢Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) expressed his worry about the ‌sale of ⁤at least 10 Lenovo⁤ products on the Navy Exchange marketplace.

“The Navy Exchange is ⁤a valuable asset​ for U.S. ⁤servicemembers as its marketplace offers competitive ‌prices with no sales taxes,” emphasized Mr. Gallagher⁢ in the letter.

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“However, the Exchange ⁤should not be selling Lenovo products to ⁢U.S. servicemembers, especially with tax-free discounts. This‍ poses a‌ significant cybersecurity ​threat and ⁣undermines the ‍U.S.⁤ Department of Defense’s ‌2023 Cyber Strategy, ⁤which prioritizes ‘fostering a culture of cybersecurity ‌and cyber⁢ awareness,'” he added.

The House Select Committee ‌has ⁢requested a briefing from Mr. Bianchi by⁤ October 20th to clarify the Navy Exchange’s decision to ⁢sell ⁣Lenovo products to active-duty U.S. servicemembers.

Lenovo’s largest shareholder is the⁢ CCP, and the company has connections to the Chinese⁢ military and the ⁤Chinese Academy ​of ⁣Sciences. Mr. Gallagher also highlighted Lenovo’s involvement in the‍ CCP’s espionage campaigns.

Mr. Gallagher expressed concern that the sale of Chinese-linked tech products could potentially expose ⁣servicemembers’ sensitive personal⁣ information to the CCP, posing a risk to U.S. national security.

“According to the 2023 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence ‌Community, China⁢ is the most ⁣active and persistent cyber espionage threat to U.S. ​Government and private-sector networks,” he stated.

“PRC espionage campaigns are highly sophisticated and⁤ could certainly target U.S. servicemembers on their personal computer and IT devices,” Mr. Gallagher⁣ added, using the official name of the People’s Republic ​of⁤ China.

Concerns Over‌ Lenovo’s​ Relations With CCP

In a report commissioned by the⁢ U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, technology experts revealed ⁤that⁤ Lenovo⁢ is suspected of being involved in the installation of Superfish spyware and backdoor access on‍ some of ⁣its ‌computer products.

“Superfish ‍is a preloaded software shipped with Lenovo computers that ⁣supposedly monitored internet ‌browser traffic for advertising purposes,​ but‌ it ‍also allowed hackers ​to access ‌encrypted browser⁤ traffic, including sensitive information like banking transactions, passwords, emails, and instant ‍messages,” the report explains.

The report also mentioned ⁤that intelligence agencies in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom,⁣ Canada, and​ New Zealand have banned Lenovo products since the mid-2000s due to reports of “backdoor” access ⁢and vulnerable ⁣firmware found in Lenovo‌ products.

In 2006, ​the State Department prohibited the use of Lenovo computers on classified systems to prevent any compromise of sensitive information and communication channels.

Furthermore, the report ⁣revealed that the U.S.⁢ Navy decided to replace servers for its ​guided missile cruisers and destroyers ‍in 2015 after Lenovo‍ acquired certain IBM server and software⁤ product⁤ lines.

“In 2016, several incidents ⁤suggested ‌that the Department of Defense ‍may⁤ have banned Lenovo products due to concerns about cyber spying ‍on Pentagon networks and suspicions ⁤of backdoors installed by the company for espionage purposes,” it added.

According to an ‍ October 2021 report by China Tech ⁤Threat, at least 38 ⁢states in the United States have contracts with Lenovo and Lexmark, both of which are tech companies affiliated with the CCP regime.

The report warned that⁤ Chinese-linked products could potentially gain access to‍ sensitive personal and financial⁣ information held by​ various government departments and agencies, including courts, police departments, elections departments, education departments, and ⁤social service providers.

What are the implications of Lenovo’s close ties to the Chinese military and the Chinese Academy of Sciences‍ in relation to state-sponsored cyber ⁣espionage‌ campaigns?

Re‌ on its computers. Superfish was⁢ a form of adware that was pre-installed on Lenovo​ laptops ‌and could intercept ⁣users’ secure connections, exposing their sensitive information to potential attackers.

This⁣ incident, which occurred in 2015, ⁣raised serious⁤ concerns about Lenovo’s ‍relationship with the CCP and ​its commitment to ⁤cybersecurity. ‌Since Lenovo is‌ heavily influenced ⁤by the CCP as its largest shareholder, there are concerns that⁣ the company could be ‍compelled to⁤ cooperate with the Chinese government ‍in its cyber espionage ⁣activities.

Furthermore, ⁢Lenovo has been‍ linked ​to ‍the Chinese military and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, both of which have close ties with⁣ the CCP.⁢ This raises additional concerns ‍about the company’s involvement in state-sponsored cyber espionage campaigns.

In light​ of these concerns, the House Select ⁤Committee⁢ on⁣ the ​Chinese Communist Party is urging‍ the U.S. Navy⁤ Exchange ⁢to take action against ‍Lenovo computers. ⁣Selling Lenovo products to U.S. servicemembers, ⁢especially with tax-free discounts, poses a significant cybersecurity threat. ‍This not only undermines the U.S. Department‍ of‌ Defense’s 2023 Cyber Strategy but⁤ also puts servicemembers’ ⁢personal information‌ at⁤ risk of being exposed to‍ the⁣ CCP.

The U.S. Intelligence Community has consistently identified China ⁣as the most active and‌ persistent cyber espionage threat to U.S. government and private-sector networks. Given the ​sophisticated nature of PRC espionage ⁢campaigns, it is entirely possible that ⁣U.S.‍ servicemembers could ‍be ⁢targeted on their personal⁢ computer and IT devices.

To address these concerns, the House ​Select Committee has ‌requested⁣ a briefing from Navy Exchange Service Command‌ CEO Robert Bianchi. The committee seeks clarification on the Navy Exchange’s decision⁤ to sell Lenovo products and its