Crypto mining rigs from Chinese manufacturer Bitmain are being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) due to potential risks to U.S. national security. According to Bloomberg, the federal government launched an investigation, “Operation Red Sunset,” to determine whether Beijing can access these mining machines remotely and use them for cyberespionage or to sabotage the power grid. As part of this probe, the government intercepted some of Bitmain’s imports, dismantled the machines, and tested their chips and code.
The findings of this teardown haven’t been published yet, as the investigation is still ongoing. Aside from assessing Bitmain’s technical capabilities, the authorities are also potentially investigating tariff and import tax violations by the company. However, this isn’t the first time the company’s name has appeared on the DHS's radar. In 2024, then-President Joe Biden shut down a massive Bitcoin mining operation owned by a Chinese entity that used thousands of Bitmain’s Antminer rigs. The government gave the order because it was within a mile of Warren Air Force Base, which hosts some of the U.S.’s Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles. It also appeared earlier this year in a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee report, which said that Bitmain miners can be remotely manipulated, posing a threat to the U.S.
