US Congress warns against DeepSeek over cybersecurity risks
The US House of Representatives issued a formal warning on 31 January 2025 prohibiting employees from using the Chinese AI application DeepSeek on official devices, citing cybersecurity concerns and potential malware exploitation. The Navy had already taken similar action, and the House implemented restrictions on the application's functionality across its systems.
What happened
The chief administrative officer of the US House of Representatives issued a formal notice warning against using the Chinese AI application DeepSeek, stating it is under review and not authorized for official use.
The notice prohibited employees from downloading DeepSeek on any official phones, computers, or tablets, citing that threat actors are exploiting the application to deliver malware and compromise devices.
Reported impact
The US Navy preceded the congressional action by preventing personnel from downloading the application, citing growing cybersecurity and data security concerns.
Governance controls
The House of Representatives implemented security measures to restrict DeepSeek functionality on all devices issued by the House.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.