Representative Mike Gallagher, Chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has expressed concerns about computer manufacturer Lenovo and its potential implications for national security. Lenovo, a brand associated with Chinese affiliations and influence tied to the CCP, has raised alarms within the committee.
Gallagher recently wrote a letter to Robert Bianchi, the CEO of the U.S. Navy Exchange, requesting a briefing to be conducted no later than October 20, 2023. In the letter, the committee strongly advocates for the removal of Lenovo products associated with the CCP from the "discounted marketplace accessible to servicemembers." The U.S. Navy Exchange currently provides access to at least ten different types of Lenovo products with connections to the CCP.
"The Exchange should not be selling Lenovo products to U.S. servicemembers, let alone incentivizing such purchases with tax-free, discounted prices," said Gallagher. "Doing so creates a major cybersecurity threat and undermines the U.S. Department of Defense’s 2023 Cyber Strategy, which commits to fostering a culture of cybersecurity and cyber awareness."
The national security concerns associated with Lenovo products have been ongoing for several years. In 2016, the Pentagon issued a warning, which was later reinforced by the Federal Trade Commission in 2018, citing issues linked to software programs. One of the concerns stems from the availability of software called VisualDiscovery, which was introduced in 2014 and installed on Lenovo computers.
According to Gallagher, Lenovo is closely affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and the PRC government. "Its links to state-run cyberespionage campaigns are well documented, and it is believed to have been complicit in installing Superfish spyware and potentially a BIOS backdoor on a number of its computer products," Gallagher wrote in the letter. Additionally, the largest shareholder of Lenovo is Legend Holdings, a Chinese entity whose largest shareholder is the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Gallagher expressed concern that Chinese espionage campaigns could target U.S. servicemembers on their personal computers and IT devices. "We are concerned that these actors could gain access to servicemembers’ sensitive personal information and exploit this access to compromise U.S. national security," he said.
The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is urging action to address the potential cybersecurity threat posed by Lenovo products associated with the CCP. The committee's concerns are rooted in the brand's affiliations and influence tied to the Chinese government and its documented history of cyberespionage activities.
