Microsoft president faces questioning on China ties and security breaches

TLDR:

• Lawmakers question Microsoft President Brad Smith over China ties and security breaches at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing.
• Smith defended Microsoft’s operations in China, emphasizing the protection of trade secrets in American data centers.

Brad Smith, Vice Chairman and President of Microsoft, faced tough questioning from lawmakers regarding the tech giant’s presence in China and security breaches linked to Beijing. The hearing focused on compliance with a national security law in China, with Smith emphasizing the protection of trade secrets in American data centers. Lawmakers, including Rep. Carlos Gimenez, criticized Smith’s responses, expressing concerns about Microsoft’s relationship with China. The hearing also delved into a report on security failures at Microsoft that led to breaches by Chinese hackers. This included the theft of a signing key and a vulnerability exploited by Russian hackers in the SolarWinds breach. Smith highlighted changes in Microsoft’s security approach, such as prioritizing security in product development and tying employee compensation to security metrics. The discussion touched on the need for clear guidelines on handling cyber threats and increased information sharing between government and tech companies.