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Renee Dudley

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As seen in: ProPublica, MSN, The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Bloomberg Markets Magazine, Bloomberg News, Business Insider, Daily Mail, HuffPost, Reuters, The Guardian and
Reporter @ProPublica. Co-author of "The Ransomware Hunting Team" (published 2022 by @fsgbooks)
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Articles by Renee Dudley

AI, AI governance, Pentagon, Anthropic

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By Renee Dudley 
| Homeland Security News Wire
AIThe Federal Government Is Rushing Toward AI. Our Reporting Offers Three Cautionary Tales. Published 11 April 2026 I’ve studied how the federal government has handled — and mishandled — the AI transition over the past two decades, and my reporting offers some cautionary tales and valuable lessons as policymakers encourage the use of AI and federal agencies adopt the technology.
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The Federal Government Is Rushing Toward AI. Our Reporting Offers Three Cautionary Tales.

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By Renee Dudley 
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing around the country, to receive our stories in your inbox every week. As a cybersecurity reporter at ProPublica, much of my work over the past two years has focused on how the federal government and its IT contractors, like Microsoft, have navigated major technological transitions. The one now in the news every day is artificial intelligence.
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Federal Cyber Experts Thought Microsoft’s Cloud Was “A Pile Of Shit.” They Approved It Anyway.

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By Renee Dudley 
| Techdirt
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. In late 2024, the federal government’s cybersecurity evaluators rendered a troubling verdict on one of Microsoft’s biggest cloud computing offerings. The tech giant’s “lack of proper detailed security documentation” left reviewers with a “lack of confidence in assessing the system’s overall security posture,” according to an internal government report reviewed by ProPublica.
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3d strike for Microsoft defending against Chinese, Russian hackers

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By Renee Dudley 
| Asia Times
This story was originally published by ProPublica. In late 2024, the federal government’s cybersecurity evaluators rendered a troubling verdict on one of Microsoft’s biggest cloud computing offerings. The tech giant’s “lack of proper detailed security documentation” left reviewers with a “lack of confidence in assessing the system’s overall security posture,” according to an internal government report reviewed by ProPublica.
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Federal Cyber Experts Thought Microsoft’s Cloud Was Garbage. They Approved It Anyway.

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By Renee Dudley 
| Gizmodo
This story was originally published by ProPublica. In late 2024, the federal government’s cybersecurity evaluators rendered a troubling verdict on one of Microsoft’s biggest cloud computing offerings. The tech giant’s “lack of proper detailed security documentation” left reviewers with a “lack of confidence in assessing the system’s overall security posture,” according to an internal government report reviewed by ProPublica.
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Federal cyber experts called Microsoft’s cloud a “pile of shit,” approved it anyway

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By Renee Dudley 
| Ars Technica
One Microsoft product was approved despite years of concerns about its security. ProPublica – Mar 18, 2026 1:36 pm | In late 2024, the federal government’s cybersecurity evaluators rendered a troubling verdict on one of Microsoft’s biggest cloud computing offerings.
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Federal cyber experts called Microsoft’s cloud a “pile of shit,” approved it anyway

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By Renee Dudley 
| Ars Technica
One Microsoft product was approved despite years of concerns about its security. In late 2024, the federal government’s cybersecurity evaluators rendered a troubling verdict on one of Microsoft’s biggest cloud computing offerings. The tech giant’s “lack of proper detailed security documentation” left reviewers with a “lack of confidence in assessing the system’s overall security posture,” according to an internal government report reviewed by ProPublica.
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Federal cyber experts called Microsoft's cloud a "pile of shit," approved it anyway

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By Renee Dudley 
| Tech News Tube
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
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Federal Cyber Experts Thought Microsoft’s Cloud Was “a Pile of Shit.” They Approved It Anyway.

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By Renee Dudley , Doris Burke 
| ProPublica
In late 2024, the federal government’s cybersecurity evaluators rendered a troubling verdict on one of Microsoft’s biggest cloud computing offerings. The tech giant’s “lack of proper detailed security documentation” left reviewers with a “lack of confidence in assessing the system’s overall security posture,” according to an internal government report reviewed by ProPublica.
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Trump Signs Defense Bill Prohibiting China-Based Engineers in Pentagon IT Work

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By Renee Dudley 
| The Fulcrum (U.S.)
President Donald Trump signed into law this month a measure that prohibits anyone based in China and other adversarial countries from accessing the Pentagon’s cloud computing systems.
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New law bans China-based IT engineers from Pentagon cloud access

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By Renee Dudley 
| Asia Times
Originally published by ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power, this article is republished with permission. US President Donald Trump has signed into law a measure that prohibits anyone based in China and other adversarial countries from accessing the Pentagon’s cloud computing systems.
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Trump signs defense bill prohibiting China-based engineers in Pentagon IT work

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By Renee Dudley 
| Tucson Sentinel
ProPublica President Donald Trump on April 10, 2025. This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. President Donald Trump signed into law last month a measure that prohibits anyone based in China and other adversarial countries from accessing the Pentagon’s cloud computing systems.
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Trump Signs Defense Bill Prohibiting China-Based Engineers in Pentagon IT Work

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By Renee Dudley 
| Flipboard
3 hours ago Venezuela is the latest country to be hit by US strikes as the Trump administration ramps up military interventions. This week, United States President Donald Trump confirmed that the US had struck a docking facility in Venezuela, marking the first military action on the South American country’s …
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Trump Signs Defense Bill Prohibiting China-Based Engineers in Pentagon IT Work

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By Renee Dudley , Doris Burke 
| ProPublica
President Donald Trump signed into law this month a measure that prohibits anyone based in China and other adversarial countries from accessing the Pentagon’s cloud computing systems.
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Pentagon Bans Tech Vendors From Using China-based Personnel Following A ProPublica Investigation

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By Renee Dudley 
| Cyber Era
Microsoft used China-based engineers to maintain government computer systems for nearly a decade, according to a ProPublica investigation By Renee Dudley, Tech Reporter, ProPublica, The Defense Department has tightened cybersecurity requirements for its cloud services providers.
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Pentagon bans tech vendors from using China-based personnel following a ProPublica investigation

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By Renee Dudley 
| buff.ly
The Defense Department has tightened cybersecurity requirements for tech companies that sell cloud computing services to the Pentagon. The updates, issued this month, ban IT vendors from using China-based personnel to work on department computer systems and require companies to maintain a digital paper trail of maintenance performed by their foreign engineers.
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Chin, Microsoft, espionage, hacking

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By Renee Dudley 
| Homeland Security News Wire
CHINA WATCHPentagon Bans Tech Vendors from Using China-Based Personnel After ProPublica Investigation Published 19 September 2025 The Defense Department has tightened cybersecurity requirements for its cloud services providers. The changes come after ProPublica revealed how Microsoft’s use of China-based engineers left sensitive government data vulnerable to hacking.
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Pentagon bans tech vendors from using China-based personnel following a ProPublica investigation

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By Renee Dudley 
| Washington Technology
The Defense Department has tightened cybersecurity requirements for tech companies that sell cloud computing services to the Pentagon. The updates, issued this month, ban IT vendors from using China-based personnel to work on department computer systems and require companies to maintain a digital paper trail of maintenance performed by their foreign engineers.
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Pentagon bans tech vendors from using China-based personnel following a ProPublica investigation

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By Renee Dudley 
| Government Executive
The Defense Department has tightened cybersecurity requirements for tech companies that sell cloud computing services to the Pentagon. The updates, issued this month, ban IT vendors from using China-based personnel to work on department computer systems and require companies to maintain a digital paper trail of maintenance performed by their foreign engineers.
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Pentagon Bans Tech Vendors From Using China-Based Personnel After ProPublica Investigation

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By Renee Dudley , Wendi Thomas , Doris Burke , Anna Clark
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. The Defense Department has tightened cybersecurity requirements for tech companies that sell cloud computing services to the Pentagon. The updates, issued this month, ban IT vendors from using China-based personnel to work on department computer systems and require companies to maintain a digital paper trail of maintenance performed by their foreign engineers.
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China, competition, technology, espionage, Microsoft, Pentagon

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By Renee Dudley 
| Homeland Security News Wire
CHINA WATCHPentagon Warns Microsoft: Company’s Use of China-Based Engineers Was a “Breach of Trust” Published 8 September 2025 The Defense Department is opening an investigation to determine if the tech giant’s use of overseas engineers to maintain sensitive U.S. government computer systems compromised national security.
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Pentagon Warns Microsoft: Company’s Use of China-Based Engineers Was a “Breach of Trust”

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By Renee Dudley , Wendi Thomas , Doris Burke , Lauren McGaughy 
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. The Pentagon issued a “letter of concern” to Microsoft documenting a “breach of trust” over the company’s use of China-based engineers to maintain sensitive government computer systems, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced this week.
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Pentagon Warns Microsoft: Company’s Use of China-Based Engineers Was a “Breach of Trust”

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By Renee Dudley 
| Flipboard
Pentagon Warns Microsoft: Company’s Use of China-Based Engineers Was a “Breach of Trust” The Defense Department is opening an investigation to determine if the tech giant’s use of overseas engineers to maintain sensitive U.S. government …
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Microsoft Failed to Disclose Key Details About Use of China-Based Engineers in U.S. Defense Work, Record Shows

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By Renee Dudley 
| Hoover Institution
MyHoover delivers a personalized experience at Hoover.org. In a few easy steps, create an account and receive the most recent analysis from Hoover fellows tailored to your specific policy interests. Watch this video for an overview of MyHoover. Create Account
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Microchips, China, U.S., technology control, technology competition, AI chips

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By Renee Dudley 
| Homeland Security News Wire
CHINA WATCHMicrosoft Failed to Disclose Key Details About Use of China-Based Engineers in U.S. Defense Work, Record Shows Published 20 August 2025 The tech giant is required to regularly provide U.S. officials with its plan for keeping government data safe from hacking. Yet a copy of Microsoft’s security plan obtained by ProPublica makes no reference to the company’s China-based operations.
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Microsoft Failed to Disclose Key Details About Use of China-Based Engineers in U.S. Defense Work, Record Shows

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By Renee Dudley , Doris Burke , Wendi Thomas , Cezary Podkul 
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Microsoft, as a provider of cloud services to the U.S. government, is required to regularly submit security plans to officials describing how the company will protect federal computer systems.
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Microsoft Failed to Disclose Key Details About Use of China-Based Engineers in U.S. Defense Work, Record Shows

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By Renee Dudley , Doris Burke 
| Flipboard
Trump orders black paint for border wall to make it hotter and deter migrants US President Donald Trump has ordered the entire southern border wall to be painted black to stop migrants from crossing because it will be too hot …
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SharePoint Exploit: Microsoft Used China-Based Engineers to Maintain the Software

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By Renee Dudley , Doris Burke , Cezary Podkul , Brandon Roberts
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Last month, Microsoft announced that Chinese state-sponsored hackers had exploited vulnerabilities in SharePoint, the company’s widely used collaboration software, to access the computer systems of hundreds of companies and government agencies, including the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
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Microsoft Used China-Based Engineers to Support Product Recently Hacked by China

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By Renee Dudley 
| Flipboard
Calance offers comprehensive SharePoint consulting services designed to help organizations maximize the value of their Microsoft SharePoint investment. With deep expertise in SharePoint Online, SharePoint Server, and Microsoft 365 integration, Calance delivers customized solutions that improve collaboration, streamline document management, and automate business workflows.
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Microsoft used China-based support for multiple US agencies

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By Renee Dudley 
| Asia Times
This article was first published by ProPublica, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.
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Microsoft to stop using China-based teams to support Department of Defense

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By Renee Dudley 
| Tech News Tube
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
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Microsoft to stop using China-based teams to support Department of Defense

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By Renee Dudley 
| Ars Technica
The tech giant has relied on global workforce to support federal clients. Last week, Microsoft announced that it would no longer use China-based engineering teams to support the Defense Department’s cloud computing systems, following ProPublica’s investigation of the practice, which cybersecurity experts said could expose the government to hacking and espionage. But it turns out the Pentagon was not the only part of the government facing such a threat.
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Microsoft Used China-Based Support for Multiple U.S. Agencies, Potentially Exposing Sensitive Data

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By Renee Dudley , Doris Burke , Cezary Podkul , Brandon Roberts
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Last week, Microsoft announced that it would no longer use China-based engineering teams to support the Defense Department’s cloud computing systems, following ProPublica’s investigation of the practice, which cybersecurity experts said could expose the government to hacking and espionage.
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Microsoft Says It Has Stopped Using China-Based Engineers to Support Defense Department Computer Systems

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By Renee Dudley , Sawyer Loftus , Doris Burke , Cezary Podkul 
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Microsoft says it has stopped using China-based engineers to support Defense Department cloud computing systems after ProPublica revealed the practice in an investigation this week.
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A little-known Microsoft program could expose the Defense Department to Chinese hackers

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By Renee Dudley 
| Threat Beat
By Renee Dudley and Doris Burke • Jul 15, 2025 Microsoft is using engineers in China to help maintain the Defense Department’s computer systems — with minimal supervision by U.S. personnel — leaving some of the nation’s most sensitive data vulnerable to hacking from its leading cyber adversary, a ProPublica investigation has found.
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A Microsoft project could expose the Pentagon to Chinese hackers

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By Renee Dudley 
| Asia Times
This article was first published by ProPublica, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Chinese tech support: Microsoft is using engineers in China to help maintain the Defense Department’s computer systems with minimal supervision by US personnel. Skills gap: Digital escorts often lack the technical expertise to police foreign engineers with far more advanced skills, leaving highly sensitive data vulnerable to hacking.
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Microsoft’s “Digital Escort” Program Could Leave Sensitive Government Info Vulnerable to Espionage. Here’s What to Know.

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By Renee Dudley , Doris Burke , Cezary Podkul , Brandon Roberts
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. For nearly a decade, Microsoft has used engineers in China to help maintain highly sensitive Defense Department computer systems. ProPublica’s investigation reveals how a model that relies on “digital escorts” to oversee foreign tech support could leave some of the nation’s most sensitive data vulnerable to hacking from its leading cyber adversary.
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Cybersecurity, Chinese espionage. Microsoft

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By Renee Dudley 
| Homeland Security News Wire
CYBERSECURITYA Little-Known Microsoft Program Could Expose the Defense Department to Chinese Hackers Published 15 July 2025 Microsoft is using engineers in China to help maintain the Defense Department’s computer systems —with minimal supervision by U.S. personnel. Digital escorts often lack the technical expertise to police foreign engineers with far more advanced skills, leaving highly sensitive data vulnerable to hacking.
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A Little-Known Microsoft Program Could Expose the Defense Department to Chinese Hackers

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By Renee Dudley , Doris Burke , Wendi Thomas , Cezary Podkul 
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Microsoft is using engineers in China to help maintain the Defense Department’s computer systems — with minimal supervision by U.S. personnel. Digital escorts often lack the technical expertise to police foreign engineers with far more advanced skills, leaving highly sensitive data vulnerable to hacking.
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Microsoft hooked gov't on its products with freebies. Could Starlink be doing the same?

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By Renee Dudley 
| Tucson Sentinel
This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. A few weeks ago, my colleague Doris Burke sent me a story from The New York Times that gave us both deja vu.
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White Supremacist Terrorgram Network Allegedly Inspired Teen Accused of Killing Parents and Plotting Trump Assassination

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By A.C. Thompson, James Bandler , Renee Dudley , Max Maldonado
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. A Wisconsin teenager accused of murdering two family members and plotting to assassinate President Donald Trump was inspired by Terrorgram, a white supremacist network that operated on the Telegram messaging and social media platform for half a decade, according to federal court records.
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No, President Trump, the Income Tax Wasn’t A Mistake. But It Was an Accident.

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By Jesse Eisinger , Ginny Monk , Mark Olalde , Renee Dudley 
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
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Trump Said Cuts Wouldn’t Affect Public Safety. Then He Fired Hundreds of Workers Who Help Fight Wildfires.

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By Mark Olalde , Renee Dudley , Stephen Engelberg , Patricia Callahan 
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing around the country, to receive our stories in your inbox every week. President Donald Trump’s executive orders shrinking the federal workforce make a notable exception for public safety staff, including those who fight wildland fires.
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Microsoft Hooked the Government on Its Products With Freebies. Could Elon Musk’s Starlink Be Doing the Same?

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By Renee Dudley 
| Tech News Tube
Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
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Microsoft Hooked the Government on Its Products With Freebies. Could Elon Musk’s Starlink Be Doing the Same?

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By Renee Dudley , Rhett Jones 
| Gizmodo
This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. A few weeks ago, my colleague Doris Burke sent me a story from The New York Times that gave us both deja vu.
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Microsoft Hooked the Government on Its Products With Freebies. Could Elon Musk’s Starlink Be Doing the Same?

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By Renee Dudley , Stephen Engelberg , Patricia Callahan , Annie Waldman 
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. A few weeks ago, my colleague Doris Burke sent me a story from The New York Times that gave us both deja vu. The piece reported that Starlink, the satellite internet provider operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, had, in the words of Trump administration officials, “donated” internet service to improve wireless connectivity and cell reception at the White House.
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Microsoft Hooked the Government on Its Products With Freebies. Could Elon Musk’s Starlink Be Doing the Same?

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By Renee Dudley 
| Flipboard
Now Microsoft Confirms Password Deletion For Windows Users—What You Do Now As Microsoft confirms “it’s now time “to completely remove the password from your account,” millions of users are looking for guidance as to what to do next. The solution is simple. Now “the password era is ending,” all those users should act now. Unsurprisingly, this is all about your security and … 13 hours ago ChatGPT Glossary: 50 AI Terms Everyone Should Know AI is becoming a part of our daily lives.
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As Facebook Abandons Fact-Checking, It’s Also Offering Bonuses for Viral Content

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By Craig Silverman , A.C. Thompson, James Bandler , Renee Dudley 
| ProPublica
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Hours after Donald Trump was sworn in as president, users spread a false claim on Facebook that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was paying a bounty for reports of undocumented people.
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Following a Series of Government Hacks, Biden Closes Out His Administration With New Cybersecurity Order

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By Renee Dudley 
| MSN
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Following a Series of Government Hacks, Biden Closes Out His Administration With New Cybersecurity Order

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By Renee Dudley 
| MSN
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