China’s top counter-espionage agency has warned that overseas entities are attempting to steal the country’s geographic data through covert mapping operations that threaten national security.
Foreign “anti-China hostile forces” have been deploying “various clandestine methods” to gather, steal and exploit China’s foundational mapping and geographic information, the Ministry of State Security said in a social media article on Tuesday.
It said the data, crucial for infrastructure planning, resource management and military operations, was “under constant threat from covert espionage activities aimed at undermining China’s national security”.
China has been ramping up its efforts to govern cyberspace and has elevated data security to a national priority amid its growing rivalry with the United States.
In the article, the ministry detailed multiple risks and pathways through which geographic data had been leaked or compromised, often due to insider negligence or flawed procedures.
One case involved an employee who copied confidential mapping data onto a networked computer from a portable storage device – a breach that led to serious security consequences.
The ministry said another major threat was the illegal outsourcing of mapping tasks.
Modern geospatial operations often involve multiple organisations working in coordination, but some entities bypass legal procedures by subcontracting work to unauthorised companies or individuals.
There have been cases in which mapping projects were improperly outsourced, and subcontractors used personal devices to conduct reconnaissance. They captured high-resolution images of sensitive locations and processed them on unsecured personal computers, creating a data leak risk.
Other concerns include inadequate management and oversight of classified mapping data, as some organisations “lack proper awareness of the confidential nature of their geospatial information”, the ministry said.
There have been instances in which secret mapping data was mismanaged or even lost, with information circulated among multiple departments or “falling into the hands of external entities”, according to the ministry.
The counter-espionage agency said that foreign forces often disguised espionage activities as legitimate business, academic exchanges or tourism research.
It warned that these hostile forces engaged in illegal mapping activities in critical areas of China to “spy on the terrain and landforms of sensitive locations” and collect information on vital resource distribution, the layout of major energy facilities and areas with natural resources.
In one case, a foreign company was purportedly engaged in commercial research but secretly conducted unauthorised geospatial surveys in collaboration with Chinese firms. The data it collected was transferred out of China, violating national laws and regulations.
The ministry underscored the importance of protecting sensitive mapping data through strict legal and operational measures.
These include implementing rigorous classification procedures, establishing comprehensive data management systems and improved training on confidentiality and security protocols.
The ministry added that when data was no longer needed, it should be properly destroyed to ensure data security.
Authorities also called on citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to illegal surveying or data leaks through hotlines, official websites or local security agencies. – South China Morning Post
