BlackRock Bans Company Devices in China Amid Security Concerns
BlackRock Inc., the world's largest asset manager, has implemented strict travel protocols for employees visiting China. Effective July 16, company-issued laptops, iPhones, and iPads will be prohibited on Chinese soil. Staff must now use temporary loaner devices during business trips, with all corporate network access—including VPN connections—blocked within the country's borders.
The policy extends to personal travel, creating an absolute firewall between BlackRock's systems and Chinese networks. This MOVE follows intelligence reports detailing Beijing's capability to extract metadata from electronic devices in real-time. Wells Fargo & Co. issued similar restrictions last week, signaling growing corporate unease about digital security in China.
