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Major Leak Exposes Chinese Cyber Contractor’s Global Hacking Operations

A massive data breach at Chinese cybersecurity firm Knownsec (知道创宇) has exposed its extensive global hacking and surveillance activities. More than 12,000 confidential files – including hacker tool specifications, cross-platform remote-access trojans, surveillance target lists, and large-scale data-theft records – briefly appeared on GitHub before being removed.

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Beijing, Knownsec runs the hacker team “404 Lab” and is regarded as a major contractor for China’s military and intelligence agencies. The company serves financial institutions, government bodies, and major internet firms, received significant investment from Tencent, and employs over 900 staff. The U.S. placed Knownsec on its entity sanctions list in 2022.

The leaked documents show that Knownsec built remote-access trojans for Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, enabling persistent access across a wide range of systems. Its Android tools could extract message histories from Chinese chat apps and Telegram for targeted surveillance. The leak also detailed hardware-based attack tools, including a malicious power bank capable of secretly exfiltrating data – demonstrating supply-chain attack methods that bypass traditional software defenses.

According to Cyber Press, spreadsheets in the leaked materials document intrusions into more than 80 foreign organizations, involving massive data theft. Examples include:

  • 95GB of Indian immigration records
  • 3TB of call logs from South Korea’s LG UPlus
  • 459GB of Taiwanese road-planning data
  • Password data from Taiwan Yahoo and Brazil LinkedIn accounts

The targets span over 20 countries and regions, including Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom – indicating a broad, systematic intelligence-gathering campaign.

Security firm StealthMole further reported that Knownsec conducted internet-infrastructure mapping in 28 countries, covering the Asia-Pacific, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Source: Epoch Times, November 14, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/11/13/n14635466.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Defense/Military Information/Technology

PLA Conducts South China Sea Bomber Patrol after Philippine, U.S., and Japan Joint Exercise

Huanqiu Times reported that from November 14 to 15, the Philippine military, together with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force, carried out another Multilateral Maritime Cooperation Activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea. This was the eighth MMCA exercise held this year and the thirteenth since the program began.

In response, on November 14, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command dispatched a formation of bombers for a routine patrol over the South China Sea – marking the first publicly disclosed deployment of this kind.

Experts interviewed by Global Times said the move underscores China’s strong resolve and capability to safeguard its territorial sovereignty. Bombers, compared with fighter jets, possess more powerful strike capabilities, including saturation attacks that even large surface vessels would struggle to evade.

Analysts believe the formation likely included variants of the H-6 bomber. These aircraft may have flown tactical routes to warn foreign vessels and reinforce China’s red lines, potentially with fighter escorts. The mission aligns with China’s broader strategy of diversifying its strike options and integrating bomber units with aircraft carrier groups to enhance long-range strike capability and increase the flexibility of China’s power projection.

Source: Huanqiu Times, November 16, 2025
https://mil.huanqiu.com/article/4PAF86Mj7GF

Briefings | | |   @CS Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

People’s Daily: Overseas Chinese Voice Support for China’s “15th Five-Year Plan”

The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party approved the proposals for the “15th Five-Year Plan,” setting out China’s development goals for the next five years. Overseas Chinese praised the achievements of the “14th Five-Year Plan” and voiced their readiness to continue contributing to China’s high-quality development by leveraging their global connections in technology, cross-border services, and cultural exchange.

Guo Xinjing, Vice Chairman of Cuba’s Hung Mun Minzhi Party, said overseas Chinese can help connect research institutions, companies, and universities, fostering technological collaboration and talent exchange.

Gao Wei, President of the Kenya Council for the Promotion of China’s Peaceful Reunification, noted that overseas Chinese are well-versed in local markets and regulations. “We can use our resources to organize international exhibitions, showcase China’s innovations, and promote cooperation between Chinese and foreign enterprises,” he said.

Dong Gang, head of the Huaxing Art Troupe in Cape Town, emphasized the role of overseas Chinese communities in preserving cultural heritage. His troupe performs dragon-and-lion dances during Chinese New Year and plans to offer youth training classes to pass on the traditions and strengthen community bonds.

Wang Peizhong, President of the Chinese Association in Egypt, said overseas Chinese should actively share Chinese culture through Hanfu (traditional Chinese attire) showcases, tea-art gatherings, and intangible heritage workshops. “We will use social media platforms to produce Arabic-language cultural content that resonates with local audiences, helping more people understand a trustworthy, appealing, and respected China,” he said.

Source: People’s Daily, November 11, 2025
https://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/pc/content/202511/11/content_30114060.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

China’s Type 100 Tank Gains Beyond-Visual-Range Strike Capability

According to PLA Daily, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has taken an unprecedented step: its new-generation Type 100 tank can now engage targets beyond visual range—a capability previously exclusive to the Air Force and Navy.

Equipped with miniature optical, infrared, and radar sensors, Chinese armored vehicles can now gain a comprehensive view of the battlefield. Unlike traditional tanks, which are limited to close-range combat, the Type 100 main battle tank can coordinate long-range firepower through direct integration with rocket artillery and unmanned aerial vehicles. Beijing sees this as part of an interconnected system in which reconnaissance drones, artillery, light aircraft, and electronic warfare assets operate in concert.

Until now, only China’s Navy and Air Force had beyond-visual-range strike capabilities, thanks to advanced radar systems and strong energy autonomy. Applying these technologies to land-based tanks poses significant challenges, which Beijing says it has overcome through breakthroughs in miniature radar and secure communications.

The Global Times quoted Beijing military analyst Wang Yunfei as saying, “This will be a game-changer.” Wang added, “China has now joined the select group of countries that truly possess beyond-visual-range ground combat capabilities.”

Source: Radio France International, October 17, 2025
https://rfi.my/C6SI

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Issued Export Control Policies with Notices Formatted in China’s Own Office Software WPS

On October 9, China’s Ministry of Commerce issued Announcements No. 61 and No. 62 for 2025, introducing export control measures on certain overseas-related rare earth items and rare earth-related technologies.

Notably, the attachments to these announcements were provided in Kingsoft WPS Office format, while previous announcements typically used internationally standard formats such as Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF.

The choice of format quickly drew attention online, with some commentators suggesting, “This signals a move toward full decoupling (between China and the Western world).”

Source: Epoch Times, October 13, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/10/12/n14614787.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations

People’s Daily: China Aims for Global Leadership with New Humanoid Robot Data Standards

China has unveiled its first standardized data platform and dataset standards for humanoid robots, marking a major milestone in the unified development of “embodied intelligence.” Announced at the 2025 Pujiang Innovation Forum, the initiative sets out common rules for data collection, labeling, and storage—creating a universal “data language” for the industry and breaking long-standing data silos.

The National Robot Testing and Evaluation Center has also issued China’s first CR (China Robot Product Certification) for humanoid robot datasets, formally recognizing standardized data as a cornerstone for industrial applications. The newly launched “Pujiang X (DOME)” platform integrates the entire data lifecycle—from acquisition to validation—enhancing collaboration, interoperability, and access for developers.

Experts believe the new standards will boost efficiency, lower redundant R&D costs, and accelerate large-scale deployment across manufacturing, household services, and healthcare sectors.

By strengthening data security and reducing dependence on foreign datasets, China seeks to gain a strategic edge and transition from a global participant to a rule-maker in the field of humanoid robotics.

Source: People’s Daily, October 16, 2025
http://finance.people.com.cn/n1/2025/1016/c1004-40583363.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

China Debuts Bionic Robotic Bird with Battlefield Potential

At the 2025 World Robot Conference, China unveiled bionic robotic birds that highlight a new frontier in intelligent military and surveillance technology.

These robotic birds can fly autonomously, conduct real-time target recognition, and transmit images back to command centers. Once a target is detected, the system can relay information to allied units or coordinate support from nearby robotic partners. Unlike conventional drones powered by propellers, these machines take off and maneuver using flapping wings. In flight, they closely mimic real birds – lightweight, quiet, and agile – making them nearly indistinguishable from actual birds to the naked eye.

Flapping-wing aircraft come in various models: large ones inspired by eagles, nimble ones resembling falcons, and compact versions modeled after sparrows. These robotic “flocks” can be deployed across diverse terrains, selecting bird types suited to local environments to blend seamlessly into natural bird populations – providing exceptional stealth for reconnaissance missions.

Compared with rotorcraft, flapping-wing drones generate less noise and operate on unconventional aerodynamic principles, posing greater engineering challenges. Researchers continue to focus on improving flight stability, posture control, and energy efficiency – key hurdles to unlocking their full operational potential.

Source: CCTV, October 12, 2025
https://military.cctv.com/2025/10/12/ARTIOpbQHKiP4DLH0Ht1kYbs251012.shtml

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Information/Technology

Chinese Delegation Visiting Europe Claims “NATO Should Not Exist”

A Chinese delegation visiting the European Parliament in Brussels sparked controversy after declaring that “NATO should not exist.” The remark stunned European lawmakers and turned what was intended as a goodwill dialogue into a tense exchange.

According to reports, the meeting – the first in seven years between representatives of China’s National People’s Congress and the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with China – lasted about three hours. During the discussion, the Chinese side repeatedly echoed Russian narratives about NATO’s role in the war in Ukraine, drawing sharp criticism from European officials.

German MEP Engin Eroğlu called the statement “absurd,” emphasizing NATO’s importance in deterring Russian aggression. Other lawmakers, including Miriam Lexmann and Markéta Gregorová, rebuked the Chinese delegation for evading questions on human rights issues in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, as well as for Beijing’s export restrictions on rare earth materials.

The meeting underscored the persistent strain in EU–China relations, despite Beijing’s recent efforts to lift sanctions and revive dialogue with Europe.

Source: Epoch Times, October 17, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/25/10/17/n14618423.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend