U.S. authorities have reportedly equipped server equipment from Dell and Super Micro — featuring Nvidia and AMD chips—with specialized trackers to monitor shipments, restrict exports to China, and prevent military use of the technology.
This covert measure involves devices ranging from smartphone-sized units to smaller, discreet "beacons" hidden within the hardware.
Notably, the manufacturers may not have been informed about the inclusion of these trackers, raising questions about transparency in the supply chain. The FBI, U.S. Department of Commerce, Dell, Nvidia, Super Micro, and AMD have all declined to comment on the findings, leaving the initiative shrouded in secrecy.
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In response, Chinese authorities are pressuring local companies to abandon certain U.S. chip models, escalating tensions in the ongoing tech rivalry. This move underscores the U.S.'s efforts to safeguard its technology amid geopolitical concerns, though it also highlights the murky ethics of embedding tracking devices without consent.
