World ( The cow news digital ) China has issued a warning over the use of Anthropic’s artificial intelligence coding assistant, Claude Code, alleging that the software may contain security vulnerabilities capable of exposing sensitive user information. The warning was released on Wednesday by China’s National Vulnerability Database (NVDB), an organization affiliated with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
According to the NVDB, investigators identified what it described as a potential “security backdoor” in Claude Code. The agency claimed that the software could transmit sensitive information, including user identity and location data, to Anthropic’s servers without explicit authorization. Chinese authorities described the alleged issue as a serious cybersecurity concern and urged organizations and individual users to review their systems immediately.
Claude Code is an AI-powered coding assistant designed to help developers write software, identify programming errors, review code, and automate development tasks based on natural language instructions. The tool has gained attention for improving coding productivity and streamlining software development workflows.
Anthropic has restricted access to its AI products in China and several other regions due to export controls and company policies. However, some users have continued accessing the services through virtual private networks (VPNs) and third-party proxy services. Chinese regulators have cautioned that such methods may expose users to additional security and compliance risks.
The NVDB advised users to conduct comprehensive security assessments of any systems running Claude Code. It recommended uninstalling the software if necessary or updating to the latest secure version should a verified patch addressing the reported issue become available.
Anthropic has not publicly responded to the allegations. International media reported that the company had not commented on requests seeking clarification regarding the claims made by Chinese authorities.
In a related development, Chinese technology giant Alibaba has reportedly decided to prohibit employees from using Claude Code beginning July 10, citing security concerns. The move reflects growing caution among Chinese technology companies regarding the use of foreign AI software in corporate environments.
The latest dispute also comes against the backdrop of previous tensions between Anthropic and Alibaba. Earlier, Anthropic accused the Chinese company of copying aspects of its AI models, an allegation that added to the broader competition between American and Chinese artificial intelligence firms.
The developments underscore increasing geopolitical and cybersecurity concerns surrounding advanced AI technologies as governments and businesses place greater emphasis on data protection, software integrity, and digital sovereignty.
