Chinese officials have instructed domestic businesses to refrain from using cybersecurity software from various American and Israeli firms due to concerns about national security.
They argue that this software might collect sensitive information and transmit it beyond China’s borders. This information comes from multiple sources familiar with the situation.
The ban specifically affects companies like Check Point Software Technologies from Israel and some notable U.S. names such as VMware, Palo Alto Networks, and Fortinet.
Moreover, the directive includes U.S. firms like CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Record Future, McAfee, Claroty, Rapid7, as well as Alphabet Inc.’s Mandiant and Wiz, according to sources.
Israeli company CyberArk is also on the list, alongside Orca Security and Cato Networks. Additionally, Imperva, which is owned by the French defense contractor Thales, was mentioned in the reports.
As tensions increase between China and the West over Beijing’s ambitions to enhance its semiconductor and AI sectors, there’s a clear desire to replace Western technology with local alternatives.
Looking ahead, both nations are preparing for an upcoming visit to Beijing by President Trump in April.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration granted Nvidia the go-ahead to export its AI chips to China and other regions.
In a forthcoming announcement scheduled for January 15, the Commerce Department is set to relax U.S. export constraints on Nvidia’s H200 chips, a matter President Trump addressed the previous month.
An Nvidia representative stated, “We commend President Trump’s move to let the U.S. chip sector compete and support American jobs and manufacturing.” They added that providing the H200 to pre-approved commercial customers is a favorable step for the U.S.
