DHS bans DeepSeek from U.S. government agency IT systems The Department of Homeland Security has ordered the removal of DeepSeek products and third-party services using the Chinese AI model from U.S. civilian agency IT systems and banned new acquisitions. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is ordering the removal of DeepSeek products and third-party services using the Chinese AI model from U.S. civilian agency IT systems, according to a notice published Monday. DHS Bans DeepSeek Government UseThe department is also banning acquisition of DeepSeek products and third-party services developed using DeepSeek by U.S. civilian government agencies. DHS said DeepSeek models pose multiple threat vectors and raised concerns that use of the product may result in the transfer of sensitive data to the PRC if used by U.S. government employees or vendors. DHS also said use of DeepSeek by government agencies could produce actionable intelligence on U.S. persons and government agencies.The models themselves may contain malware or other security vulnerabilities. In a July memo made public Monday, DHS told federal agencies to monitor flows of traffic in and out of government websites to address potential risks from DeepSeek. Previously, several U.S. agencies, including the Department of Commerce and the Navy, have banned the use of DeepSeek on government devices. Multiple states including New York, Tennessee, and Virginia have taken similar steps.The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment. The Trump administration has taken a series of steps to crack down on Chinese tech companies. The Federal Communications Commission will vote on October 29 to bar all Chinese labs from testing electronic devices such as smartphones, cameras and computers for use in the U.S. Last year, 82 per cent of U.S. electronics were tested in China.Broader Crackdown On Chinese TechIn December, the FCC banned import of all new models of Chinese drones and also banned imports of new models of Chinese-made consumer routers, the boxes connecting computers, phones and smart devices to the internet. In July, the FCC voted to bar sales of devices in the U.S. that contain key hardware from Chinese companies deemed to be national security risks and has proposed to prohibit U.S. telecommunications carriers from interconnecting with Chinese telecom firms deemed national security risks.The DHS notice was published on Monday. Reuters reported exclusively that one hacker used AI agents and a few thousand dollars to break into scores of sites, highlighting security concerns around the technology. The order applies to U.S. civilian agencies and their vendors. DHS said the models may contain malware or other security vulnerabilities and could produce actionable intelligence on U.S. persons and government agencies.Security Vulnerabilities And Monitoring MeasuresDHS is asking federal agencies to monitor traffic flows in and out of government websites. The memo was dated July and was made public Monday. The action follows earlier state and federal bans on DeepSeek. The Chinese Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama.