This is after a report in investigative journalism outlet ProPublica sparked questions from a US Senator and prompted Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to order a two-week review of Pentagon cloud deals.

The report detailed Microsoft's use of Chinese engineers to work on US military cloud computing systems under the supervision of US "digital escorts" hired through subcontractors who often lacked the technical skills to assess whether the work of the Chinese engineers posed a cybersecurity threat.

Microsoft, a major contractor to the US government, has had its systems breached by Chinese and Russian hackers. It told ProPublica it disclosed its practices to the US government during an authorisation process.

On Friday, Microsoft Spokesperson Frank Shaw said on social media website X that the company changed how it supports US government customers "in response to concerns raised earlier this week, to assure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance" for services used by the Pentagon.

Earlier on Friday, Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican who chairs the chamber's intelligence committee and also serves on its armed services committee, sent a letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth about Microsoft's reported practices.

--Reuters--