ProPublica is reporting:

Microsoft is employing engineers in China to assist in maintaining the Defense Department’s computing systems—with minimal oversight from U.S. personnel—putting some of the country’s most sensitive information at risk of being hacked by its top cyber adversary, a ProPublica investigation has revealed.

The agreement, which was essential for Microsoft to secure the federal government’s cloud computing contracts a decade ago, depends on U.S. citizens with security clearances to supervise the operations and act as a safeguard against espionage and sabotage.

However, these individuals, referred to as “digital escorts,” frequently lack the technical proficiency to monitor foreign engineers who possess significantly more advanced abilities, ProPublica discovered. Some are former military members with limited coding experience who are compensated only slightly above minimum wage for their efforts.

This may seem concerning, but it reflects the reality of the digital landscape. Everything we engage in is global, profoundly global. Creating anything that is strictly U.S.-based is challenging and often impractical.

EDITED TO ADD: Microsoft has halted the practice.