Dhs orders ban on DeepSeek in federal agencies

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has ordered federal civilian agencies to ban the use of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model, citing national security risks. The directive, set to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, follows a review by the Federal Acquisition Security Council and is based on the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Act. Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that DeepSeek’s models pose multiple threat vectors, including data storage in China and potential privacy concerns. The ban, effective immediately, prohibits the purchase of all IT products and services from Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence. Federal agencies are required to remove existing DeepSeek products and exclude them from future procurements. Exceptions can be requested, but must include a compelling justification. Mullin urged agencies to enhance security controls to mitigate risks from potential network compromises. DeepSeek is the only Chinese AI model named in the order, though other models like Qwen and Kimi have also raised security concerns.