DHS orders civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek

The Department of Homeland Security is directing civilian federal agencies to remove DeepSeek products from their systems and bar their procurement, citing potential data and cybersecurity risks. The restriction also covers third-party services developed using DeepSeek, according to the department’s order and notice. The directive applies to civilian agencies’ information technology systems and purchasing. Agencies must remove existing DeepSeek products and exclude them from future procurements. The notice also bars agencies from acquiring services developed using the model. It does not establish a general prohibition on private companies or individual users using DeepSeek. DHS says use of the models could result in sensitive information being transferred to China and could expose government systems to malware or security vulnerabilities. The department also warned that data collected through the models could potentially be used to produce intelligence about U.S. individuals or government agencies. These are risks asserted by DHS, not independently established harms. The order includes a letter from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin directing the exclusion of...