The analysis from mobile security firm iVerify said major Chinese telecom transit providers — including China Mobile International, China Telecom Global and CITIC Telecom — facilitate possible “man in the middle” access to sensitive mobile communications in transit, even if a target is not physically using their phone within Chinese borders. Security researchers Daniel Kelley and Gary Miller also contributed findings.
“Interconnect services provided by China operators include the transport of highly sensitive signaling data used in device authentication, call setup, SMS, network location updates, setting up data sessions and transporting internet data for international travelers,” the report said.
Countries identified in the findings include close U.S. security partners like Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand, whose mobile networks were found to rely on Chinese routing infrastructure for portions of their international traffic. Taiwan, a frequent target of Chinese cyber operations, was also found to have multiple operators using Chinese-owned signaling routes.
The analysis used data from the GSM Association — a global industry organization representing mobile network operators and related firms — that was provided through the Mobile Surveillance Monitor Project, an iVerify spokesperson said.
The report said the telecommunications nexus, as architected, could enable further Chinese spying.
“Dependencies on mobile operators and their users passing internet and communications traffic through China’s interconnect infrastructure reveal tools for state-sponsored surveillance,” it said. “Unless addressed through policy intervention, the integration of these networks into global telecom infrastructure poses a direct threat to the privacy and security of billions of mobile users worldwide.”
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