(The Center Square) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday expanded a list of banned technologies for state employees and devices. It’s the latest of many actions the governor has taken to combat cyberthreats from China and other foreign actors.
Abbott’s prohibition includes additional restrictions on physical hardware, artificial intelligence and software affiliated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“Rogue actors across the globe who wish harm on Texans should not be allowed to infiltrate our state’s network and devices,” Abbott said. “Hostile adversaries harvest user data through AI and other applications and hardware to exploit, manipulate, and violate users and put them at extreme risk.” Expanding the prohibited technologies list will mitigate that risk and protect Texans from the PRC and CCP “and any other hostile foreign actors who may attempt to undermine the safety and security of Texas,” he said.
He expanded the list based on recommendations from Texas Cyber Command Chief TJ White, a retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Abbott appointed to lead the new office.
“The Governor and the Legislature gave a clear mission for the Texas Cyber Command – protect Texans from hostile foreign nations and cyber threat actors,” White said. “As TXCC works to stand up its full arsenal of operational assets, we are pleased to lead this effort to prevent cyber attacks that have the potential to exfiltrate sensitive information to bad actors across the globe.”
Those added to the prohibited technology list include SenseTime, Megvii, CloudWalk, Autel, CATL, Wuhan Geosun LiDAR, Yitu, iFlytek, Uniview, Zhipu (Z.ai), Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI), Alibaba, Xiaomi, Gotion High Tech, Baidu, RoboSense LiDAR, TP-Link, Hisense, TCL, Baichuan, StepFun, MiniMax, PDD (Pinduoduo, Temu), Shein, Moonshot AI and NucTech.
Prohibited Software/Applications/Developers include Alipay, ByteDance Ltd., CamScanner, DeepSeek, Kaspersky, Lemon8, Moomoo, QQ Wallet, RedNote, SHAREit, Tencent Holdings Ltd., Tiger Brokers, TikTok, VMate, WeBull, WeChat, WeChat Pay, WPS Office and any subsidiary or affiliate.
Prohibited Hardware/Equipment/Manufacturers include Dahua Technology Company, Huawei Technologies Company, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, Hytera Communications Corporation, SZ DJI Technology Company, ZTE Corporation and any subsidiary or affiliate.
Prohibited applications include Lemon8, RedNote and TikTok or any successor application or service developed or provided by ByteDance Ltd. or an entity owned by ByteDance Ltd.
Last year, Abbott identified creating the Texas Cyber Command as an emergency item for the legislative session. The legislature passed a bill creating it, which Abbott signed into law last June.
“As cyberattacks increase in significance and sophistication across the globe, it is critical that Texas utilize cutting-edge capabilities to secure our state. Threats from China, Iran, Russia, and other foreign enemies are growing. President Donald Trump empowered states to more effectively prepare for cyberattacks and defend our infrastructure, and Texas is ready to harness our assets to protect our power, water, and communications,” he said, The Center Square reported.
Based in San Antonio, the Texas Cyber Command “is the largest state-based cybersecurity department in America,” Abbott says.
Last year, Abbott issued five directives to Texas state agencies to protect Texans from PRC and CCP threats. He instructed law enforcement to investigate and arrest alleged CCP and PRC operatives targeting Texans of Chinese descent; directed state agencies to prepare for potential threats against Texas’ critical infrastructure from a hostile foreign government or proxies, including the CCP and PRC; ordered state agencies to divest from investments originating from China; and banned the use of AI and social media apps affiliated with the PRC and CCP on government-issued devices, The Center Square reported.
The legislature incorporated many of these directives into bills it passed that Abbott signed into law, including cybercrime and counter-espionage bills addressing PRC and CCP threats. He also signed into law a bill banning foreign adversaries from purchasing land in Texas. It remains in effect after multiple failed legal challenges, The Center Square reported.
In December 2022, Abbott was among the first governors to ban state employees from using TikTok. The social media platform was primarily owned by ByteDance Ltd., which employs CCP members. Its subsidiary is also partially owned by the CCP.
Last fall, President Donald Trump issued an executive order related to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act requiring TikTok to divest from PRC and CCP control in order to keep operating in the U.S.
This week, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC announced it had been established to comply with the order and law. It claims to have a majority of U.S. investors with a new board of directors with national security and cybersecurity credentials. U.S. technology giant Oracle is acting as TikTok’s security provider.
