Foxit Removes U.S. Government References Amid Scrutiny
Foxit, a prominent PDF software firm that originated in China, has taken down various mentions of U.S. government clients from its website. This follows inquiries from Fox News Digital regarding the company’s ties to the government and its Chinese roots.
Founded in 2001 by Eugene Zion in Fuzhou, China, Foxit creates software that enables users, including businesses and U.S. institutions, to read, edit, and sign documents. Its parent company, Fujian Foxit Software Development Joint Stock Co., Ltd., operates on the Shanghai stock market and has a subsidiary based in Fremont, California.
Before the scrutiny, Foxit’s site highlighted its clients within the federal government, including the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the State Department, as well as various branches of the military and agencies like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
However, after Fox News Digital requested comments, the company removed references to its U.S. government customers from its site. Notably, Foxit did not provide any responses to the inquiries.
During this reporting, it was found that several government agencies either have stopped using Foxit products or aren’t maintaining current agreements with the U.S. division. An MDA spokesperson mentioned that while Foxit software might still exist in isolated networks, it’s not currently part of operational missile defense systems. The official did not specify when Foxit was phased out but mentioned that a review of all software is underway.
Sources from the State Department noted that previous small contracts with Foxit had ended, though they didn’t clarify the timeline.
Before its website updates, Foxit even showcased a “case study” detailing its collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the FDA. However, DHS sources indicated that Foxit is listed on a prohibited software list.
The FDA handles sensitive data, including trade secrets and clinical trial details, but didn’t comment on whether it continues to use Foxit. Meanwhile, the Justice Department confirmed that Foxit was removed from its network following a security assessment last year.
Other agencies, such as the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and the National Institutes of Health, acknowledged queries from Fox News Digital but didn’t clarify their current usage of Foxit products.
Tracking Foxit’s contracts can be tricky; government purchases might be recorded under distributors or resellers rather than directly through the company. Fox News Digital has found numerous solicitation requests from federal agencies for goods or services specifically mentioning Foxit software across various military and research institutions. Yet, it remains uncertain which of these requests turned into final contracts. One known contract with OSD expired in 2023.
Despite its California headquarters and claims of a “global” presence, Foxit’s parent company in China is subject to local laws, including the National Intelligence Act of 2017. This raises some questions about how isolated operations of U.S. subsidiaries can truly be from Chinese interests.
There are concerns regarding potential intelligence risks even if Foxit software might not be used for secret documents. Experts suggest that everyday data collected could still hold significant value, and in the wrong hands, it could be exploited by adversaries.
Foxit initially gained recognition as a cost-effective alternative to Adobe Acrobat, but some observers have voiced caution about potential hidden risks associated with their low prices. Critics emphasize that the information gathered through these platforms may be invaluable for understanding U.S. government operations and contracts.
