Call to Ban DeepSeek on Government Devices Due to Chinese Threats

Australian government agencies and critical infrastructure providers are being urged to ban DeepSeek, a Chinese generative AI app that has gained immense popularity and caused unease in global markets this week.

CyberCX, Australia’s largest cybersecurity firm, recently issued a threat advisory proclaiming that it is "almost certain" that user data collected by DeepSeek is under the influence of the Chinese government. The advisory strongly recommends that government devices refrain from using this app.

According to the advisory, "We assess with high confidence that the DeepSeek AI Assistant app produces biased outputs that align with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) strategic objectives and narratives. It also collects personal information from users’ devices and stores prompt data in China." This has raised significant privacy concerns.

CyberCX emphasized that all organizations, particularly those involved in critical infrastructure and handling sensitive personal or commercial information, should consider restricting access to DeepSeek. They advised enterprises to inform their staff about the potential risks associated with downloading and using the app.

DeepSeek has been approached for comment on the issue.

The Chinese National Intelligence Law mandates that all private sector entities and citizens are required to "support, assist, and cooperate" with state intelligence agencies. Additionally, DeepSeek’s terms and conditions clarify that its operations are bound by the laws of mainland China.

Remarkably, DeepSeek is currently the most downloaded application worldwide on both the iOS App Store and Google Play, even surpassing ChatGPT.

Katherine Mansted, CyberCX’s executive director, speculated that Australian governments and departments would likely follow the trend set by other entities that have previously banned applications such as TikTok and hardware from Chinese companies like Huawei.

In 2023, the Australian government prohibited TikTok from use on government-issued devices.

Mansted noted that it is atypical for her organization to recommend restricting particular applications. "We don’t do it lightly," she affirmed. "But this is an app that is really explicit about its connections to China and the Chinese government."

Governments in the Five Eyes alliance, which includes Australia, have yet to provide formal guidance regarding DeepSeek.

This week, Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers advised citizens to exercise caution with the app, while the Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic, echoed similar sentiments, expressing concern regarding its data management practices.

Husic was notably the first Western official to vocalize privacy alarms related to DeepSeek.

Meanwhile, the UK’s technology secretary mentioned that their government hadn’t fully assessed the app, but acknowledged, "This is a Chinese model that... has censorship built into it."

In the United States, the White House indicated that the National Security Council would analyze the security implications of DeepSeek, with the US Navy advising personnel against using the application due to security risks.

Mansted also argued that Australia should adopt a robust regulatory framework for high-risk foreign technology in critical infrastructure and governmental operations. "It’s unfortunate that we are always reacting to these situations rather than having preventive measures in place," she commented. "The government must establish a clear framework for high-risk foreign technology, which should be publicly accessible, to avoid a reactive stance every time a new product or service emerges."

Australia, Cybersecurity, DeepSeek