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China's Ministry of State Security revealed on Wednesday that foreign intelligence agencies are using crowdsourcing to gather sensitive data in China, posing a covert but serious threat to national security. The ministry urged the public to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities.

In recent years, China's national security authorities have uncovered a new and highly deceptive espionage tactic: the use of crowdsourcing platforms by foreign intelligence agencies to collect classified information, according to China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Wednesday. This covert method, dubbed "crowdsourced espionage," poses an escalating threat.

Foreign intelligence agencies break down intelligence-gathering missions into smaller, discrete tasks and distribute them via legitimate crowdsourcing platforms. Unwitting participants are recruited to carry out seemingly harmless data collection tasks, often unaware of the true intent behind their assignments. These individual data points are then analyzed and pieced together, enabling the agencies to acquire sensitive information.  

This method exploits the legal and open nature of online platforms. By fragmenting espionage tasks, the operation becomes less noticeable, and the participants remain unaware that they are contributing to intelligence gathering. The MSS revealed that certain foreign agencies have used this approach to collect critical data, including maritime hydrology, mineral distributions, energy reserves, and high-precision geographical information, posing severe risks to China's security.  

The crowdsourced espionage operates through various methods. Firstly, under the guise of software development, foreign agencies post data collection tasks on crowdsourcing platforms. Participants are asked to install specialized geographic survey software and upload data from specific locations in exchange for rewards. These locations often include sensitive or classified areas, turning aggregated data into a serious national security threat.  

Additionally, foreign agencies supply participants with Internet of Things (IoT) devices and request them to set up peer-to-peer wireless networks. These networks, powered by blockchain and wireless communication technologies, enable participants to act as nodes in a decentralized intelligence network. The anonymity and wide coverage of such networks render them highly efficient tools for clandestine intelligence collection.  

Certain groups are especially susceptible to recruitment for crowdsourced espionage. Individuals living or working near military zones, research labs, or other classified locations are targeted due to their proximity to sensitive facilities. They may unknowingly provide crucial information such as entry schedules and facility blueprints to foreign agencies.  

University staff, students, and researchers working in cutting-edge fields may have access to unpublished research, academic data, and experimental results. Foreign intelligence agencies exploit specialized crowdsourcing platforms, offering research funding or collaboration opportunities to entice them to disclose sensitive data.  

In addition, individuals frequently active on social media, job search websites, or freelance platforms are prime targets for recruitment through advertisements for "high-paying part-time jobs" or "data collection tasks." These seemingly legitimate offers hide the true purpose of collecting intelligence.  

The MSS emphasized that safeguarding national security is a collective responsibility. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant, avoid sharing sensitive information online, and refrain from engaging in dubious data collection activities.  

Global Times