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China Is Forcing Tourists to Install Text-Stealing Malware at its Border (Xinjiang Region)
- Thread starter Blablurn
- Start date
You should bring a burner phone to any country you go to.
Obviously China is going to be way more invasive, but other countries can and do force you to hand over electronics for "inspection"
Pretty much. Put China on the list of countries people should stay away from.
Its probably more common than you think. I've long suspected USCBP of doing this too. They take your phone away sometimes as well.
swapping sims would only work if the gov was listening in remotely to traffic from your specific phone #
assuming they dont just look at ALL traffic period, yes swapping sims would work if you knew one specific one was known by them.
Installing the malware bypasses all that, an installed program can see all messages you're sending as opposed to the gov wiretapping a specific phone #/sim card
Swapping SIMs wouldn't really matter since I'm pretty sure they're installing on the phone.
I think they don't allow iPhones in. The article said they had a machine at the border looking for iPhones (probably using iBeacon) and you can't really sideload onto an iPhone in that sort of environment so confiscation would be the natural action to take.
*installs malware*
*types first text *
China don't care.
*Chinese military intelligence officials detain me so they can all high five me in respect*
Fin
Basically they are encourgaing people to buy Huawei burner phones when they visit. Pretty clever, China.
*types first text *
China don't care.
*Chinese military intelligence officials detain me so they can all high five me in respect*
Fin
Basically they are encourgaing people to buy Huawei burner phones when they visit. Pretty clever, China.
Unless you are a MAGA stan.
In that case stay away from Muslims of any nationality.
They probably sucked the data by then.
I wonder how suspicious you would look if you handed over a blank phone, probably arrest you for it.
I'm sure the US is just mad they didn't think of it first. Isn't the TSA searching international people's phones now also? Or did that not go into effect?
The US has been doing this for years. They can confiscate and search your phone for 30 days without a warrant.
User Banned (2 weeks): Derailing with misinformation, previous serious infractions.
Let the China smear campaign continue. This is all fake news BS. Smh
No, but the title in the thread is unclear, it should say specifically Xinjiang because "its border" tends to imply that it's an international border.
Interesting, I literally drove from China to Kyrgyzstan and back just a few months ago, and no one at the border even looked at my phone (and the guards there didn't exactly seemed like people who can install malware, though obviously I can't tell for sure).
I wonder if they're specifically targeting journalists or if this something that is specific to some of the border passes. For some reason some of the border crossing with the *stans are waaaaaaay more limited for travel and I never could really understand why.
I will say more broadly that I'm not even sure what they're really trying to do there, most people who come to Xinjiang don't do it by crossing the border from the west. You generally fly in, and they don't take your phone and install stuff on it in Chinese airports. And like, if you really wanted to avoid anything, you can just go to qinghai (or wherever) and just drive to XInjiang. It's not like they have security checks on province borders.
I wonder if they're specifically targeting journalists or if this something that is specific to some of the border passes. For some reason some of the border crossing with the *stans are waaaaaaay more limited for travel and I never could really understand why.
I will say more broadly that I'm not even sure what they're really trying to do there, most people who come to Xinjiang don't do it by crossing the border from the west. You generally fly in, and they don't take your phone and install stuff on it in Chinese airports. And like, if you really wanted to avoid anything, you can just go to qinghai (or wherever) and just drive to XInjiang. It's not like they have security checks on province borders.
Its not fake and its more common than alot of people know. I know someone who had their phone permanently taken in the UAE.
China doesn't need a smear campaign. They are doing a fine job themselves.
Dead serious bro
Yes it's fake. I go to China at least twice a year and NEVER experience anything like this. This forum is ridiculous at times man...
Lol this doesn't mean anything. For one do you go to Xinjang? Secondly, its "random". Just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I've never been searched by US Customs but see people get pulled to the back all the time.
What about your two times clearing immigrations a year makes you an expert?
It's a shame the KMT lost the war.
Like they smear the blood of Uyghurs?
Like they smear the blood of Uyghurs?
You go to the Xinjiang region? Did you read even the excerpt?
It means plenty. I know and do business with a ton of people who consistently travel through various regions there. Never have I heard of the BS this article is stating.
Theres a very fundamental difference between this and the chinese version of control.So I was correct to not trust this at the US border?
I agree!
I just don't trust any federal agency's apps on my phone.