A recent cybersecurity investigation has revealed that the AI chatbot DeepSeek may have ties to a Chinese telecommunications provider previously banned in the United States. According to reports, experts discovered source code within DeepSeek’s web platform that suggests potential data transmission to China Mobile. This telecom company was prohibited from operating in the US in 2019 due to national security concerns linked to its government associations.
The Associated Press (AP) received a report from Feroot Security, a cybersecurity firm based in Canada, highlighting the discovery of specific code in DeepSeek’s account registration and login system. While it remains unconfirmed whether data is actively being transferred, experts were unable to dismiss the possibility. Multiple independent cybersecurity analysts verified the findings, further solidifying concerns over DeepSeek’s data security protocols.
China Mobile, which faced restrictions in the US due to suspected connections with the Chinese military, is now under renewed scrutiny following these recent findings. In 2021, American authorities imposed sanctions preventing US-based investments in the telecom firm.
Although details regarding the specific nature of the code remain undisclosed, researchers emphasized that DeepSeek’s system appears capable of transmitting user login credentials and chatbot queries to servers operated by China Mobile. This discovery raises significant security concerns, particularly given the sensitive nature of the data that AI-powered chatbots process.
Ivan Tsarynny, CEO of Feroot Security, compared the issue to the controversy surrounding TikTok but described it as a more severe risk. “This isn’t just entertainment content; it’s an extensive data-sharing mechanism that could involve highly sensitive personal and corporate information,” Tsarynny stated.
While the cybersecurity firm focused on analyzing the web-based client, DeepSeek’s mobile application remains unexamined. The chatbot’s iOS app recently gained significant traction in the US, surpassing OpenAI’s ChatGPT in the App Store’s list of top free apps. As regulatory bodies in multiple countries assess the security risks of AI-driven platforms, concerns over data privacy and international data sharing continue to mount.