January 26, 2026 | Austin, Texas | Press Release
Governor Greg Abbott today updated the state’s list of prohibited technologies for state employees and devices. The update, done in consultation with Texas Cyber Command (TXCC) Chief, Vice Admiral TJ White (USN, Ret.), includes additional restrictions on physical hardware, artificial intelligence (AI), and software affiliated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“Rogue actors across the globe who wish harm on Texans should not be allowed to infiltrate our state’s network and devices,” said Governor Abbott. “Hostile adversaries harvest user data through AI and other applications and hardware to exploit, manipulate, and violate users and put them at extreme risk. Today, I am expanding the prohibited technologies list to mitigate that risk and protect the privacy of Texans from the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, and any other hostile foreign actors who may attempt to undermine the safety and security of Texas.”
In a letter to Texas Department of Public Safety Colonel Freeman Martin, Texas Department of Information Resources Interim Director Tony Sauerhoff, and Chief White, Governor Abbott named TXCC the lead agency in identifying any additional technology that poses a threat to the State’s sensitive information.
“The Governor and the Legislature gave a clear mission for the Texas Cyber Command – protect Texans from hostile foreign nations and cyber threat actors,” said Chief White. “As TXCC works to stand up its full arsenal of operational assets, we are pleased to lead this effort to prevent cyber attacks that have the potential to exfiltrate sensitive information to bad actors across the globe.”
In June, Governor Abbott established the TXCC, the largest state-based cybersecurity department in America, to combat cyber threats and holistically enhance the state’s cybersecurity posture, coordination, and strategy.
Prohibited Software/Applications/Developers
Last Updated February 4, 2026
- Alibaba
- Alipay
- Baichuan/Beijing Baichuan Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd.
- Baidu
- Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence
- ByteDance Ltd.
- CamScanner
- CloudWalk Technology
- DeepSeek
- iFlytek
- Kaspersky
- Lemon8
- Megvii/Megvii Technology Limited
- MiniMax
- Moomoo
- Moonshot AI
- QQ Wallet
- RedNote
- SenseTime/SenseTime Group
- SHAREit
- Shein
- StepFun
- PDD Holdings (including Temu and Pinduoduo)
- Tencent Holdings Ltd.
- Tiger Brokers
- TikTok
- Uniview/Zhejiang Uniview Technologies Co. Ltd.
- VMate
- WeBull
- WeChat Pay
- WPS Office
- Xiaomi
- Yitu Technology
- Zhipu/Z.ai
- Any subsidiary or affiliate of an entity listed above.
Prohibited Hardware/Equipment/Manufacturers
Last Updated February 4, 2026
- Autel Robotics
- CATL/Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd.
- Dahua Technology Company
- Gotion/Gouxuan Hi-Tech Co. Ltd.
- Hisense Group Co. Ltd.
- Huawei Technologies Company
- Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company
- Hytera Communications Corporation
- NucTech/Tongfang NucTech Technology Ltd.
- RoboSense Technology Co. Ltd.
- SZ DJI Technology Company
- TCL Technology Group Corp.
- TP-Link
- Uniview/Zhejiang Uniview Technologies Co. Ltd.
- Wuhan Geosun Navigation Technology Co. Ltd.
- Xiaomi
- ZTE Corporation
- Any subsidiary or affiliate of an entity listed above.
Covered Applications
Last Updated January 31, 2025
- Lemon8
- RedNote
- TikTok or any successor application or service developed or provided by ByteDance Ltd. or an entity owned by ByteDance Ltd.
Restrictions only apply to state-owned-devices, computers and networks
- These restrictions apply only to state-owned devices, computers, and networks.
- Faculty and staff should not install, access, or use these technologies on TSC-issued equipment.
- If any of these tools are currently being used for instructional, operational, or research purposes on state systems, please discontinue use and consult with IT for guidance on approved alternatives.
