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WASHINGTON- Today, Congressman David Scott (GA-13) and Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03), both senior members of the House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees, led a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging him to take a proactive approach to combat Chinese government-backed cyberattacks aimed at the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The letter follows reports of hackers breaching CFIUS network systems as a result of a broader attack targeting the Treasury Department.

“The increasing rate of Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-sanctioned hacking assaults highlight the urgency of more robust cybersecurity protections inside Treasury,” said Congressman David Scott. “Secretary Bessent must take a proactive approach to combat future cyberattacks aimed at CFIUS and ensure the committee can continue to investigate high-risk foreign investments. While it may be small in size, CFIUS has caught the ire of our most capable adversaries looking to inflict economic and national security harm. The Secretary has a responsibility to ensure CFIUS is equipped with the manpower and technological capabilities to safeguard sensitive information and prevent a future breach ever from happening again.”

“The news that Chinese hackers breached CFIUS comes as an alarming reminder that the CCP is a belligerent actor and a serious threat to our national security,” said Congressman Frank Lucas. “It is imperative that we bolster our cyber defense capabilities to prepare against future attacks. I look forward to working with my colleagues and Secretary Bessent to adequately equip CFIUS with the necessary tools in this effort.”

CFIUS is an office and interagency committee inside the Treasury Department and chaired by the Treasury Secretary authorized to review foreign investment and real estate transactions to determine their effect on U.S. national security. The recent Treasury breach highlights how CFIUS is being targeted by adversaries like China due to its work reviewing sensitive information that can reveal vulnerabilities in critical infrastructures or even disclose how the U.S. evaluates investment risks. Congressman Scott has previously raised concerns around CFIUS’ cybersecurity infrastructure and advocated for greater funding and authorities to defend from future cyberattacks.

In addition to offering strong support for the committee, the letter urges Secretary Bessent to:

·       enhance internal CFIUS cybersecurity measures by adopting the latest encryption technologies and robust network security protocols to secure communications and data related to foreign investment reviews;

·       prioritize regular security audits and penetration testing to help identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited;

·       ensure CFIUS employees understand the risks associated with cyber threats and are equipped with the knowledge to identify suspicious activities; and

·       foster increased collaboration between CFIUS and cybersecurity experts from both the public and private sectors.

 The text of the letter can be found HERE.