Ministry of State Security: Some overseas mapping companies use virtual currency rewards to entice domestic individuals to illegally collect sensitive geographic spatial information data

ChainCatcher News, the Ministry of State Security of China stated today that national security agencies have discovered that some foreign mapping companies are enticing domestic individuals to purchase and use specialized equipment for "checking in" on maps in exchange for virtual currency rewards. This practice illegally collects sensitive geospatial information and uploads it in real-time to overseas servers, even offering high rewards for specific areas to attract "collectors" for targeted data gathering. Some domestic individuals, lacking awareness of national security, are tempted by the prospect of earning money through map check-ins and unknowingly become accomplices for these malicious foreign companies in illegally collecting and stealing geospatial data.

National security agencies, in conjunction with relevant functional departments, will investigate and deal with domestic and foreign individuals and companies that collect and steal sensitive geospatial information data from China. They will promptly block the illegal outflow of related data and eliminate the risks of data leakage.