In a significant security breach, Chinese police are probing the unauthorized leak of documents from I-Soon, a private security firm with connections to China’s Ministry of Public Security and other government sectors. The leak, comprising hundreds of pages of contracts, marketing materials, product manuals, and client lists, uncovers the company’s extensive hacking and surveillance activities targeting both Chinese citizens and foreigners. Notably, the documents detail efforts to monitor ethnic minorities and dissidents in regions like Hong Kong and Xinjiang, as well as hacking operations across Asia, including Taiwan.
The leaked materials, verified by cyber security experts, showcase the company’s capabilities in cyber espionage, revealing methods used to infiltrate networks in Central and Southeast Asia, compromise social media accounts outside China, and conduct surveillance on dissidents overseas. The company, founded in 2010 and known as Anxun in Mandarin, also offered tools for breaking into email accounts and disguising online activities of Chinese agents abroad. The extent of the leak, which includes information on hacking tools and databases of hacked data sold to Chinese police, underscores the global reach of China’s cyber operations.
Cybersecurity analysts have highlighted the leak’s significance, pointing to I-Soon’s role in supporting China’s cyber espionage and surveillance efforts. The company’s activities align with China’s broader strategy of using private contractors for hacking operations, extending state control and surveillance beyond its borders. The investigation into the leak’s source continues, with speculation ranging from rival intelligence services to internal whistleblowers. This incident sheds light on the intricate network of state-sponsored hacking and surveillance that supports China’s security apparatus, raising concerns about privacy, human rights, and international cybersecurity.
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