Rockwell Automation facing U.S. investigation over operations in China

According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. government is looking into whether Rockwell Automation (NYSE:) is exposing critical U.S. infrastructure, military, and other government assets to a potentially serious cyberattack.

The WSJ report states, citing U.S. officials and documents it has seen, that the Biden administration is looking into the potential vulnerability through one of Rockwell’s China-based facilities.

The investigation is said to be focused on employees based at the company’s facility in Dalian, China, with the probe, according to documents, including various officials, including the Energy Department and Defense Department inspectors general, as well as the Justice Department’s Commercial Litigation Branch.

In addition, investigators are assessing potential vulnerabilities that could allow access from China to critical U.S. government and industrial infrastructure and computer systems, according to a memorandum of investigative activity, which is dated January 24 and details testimony from a whistleblower interviewed by government investigators, the WSJ stated.

A Rockwell spokeswoman told the WSJ that the company hasn’t been notified of any investigation related to its work in Dalian.

The investigation is said to be in the early stages and could result in no action against Rockwell, which is down over 1% following the report on Wednesday.