China Caught Spying On Athletes' Phones At Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics: Here's How
According to Jonathan Scott, the spyware is being used to snoop on athletes of different countries on both Apple iOS and Google Android devices
China's no stranger to snooping. The country has its own infamous firewall, preventing users access to whatever the Chinese government deems unfit for its citizens.
Now, the Chinese government has taken snooping to another level. According to American mobile and IOT (internet of things) researcher Jonathan Scott, China is spying on all Olympics participants.
SportSavour
2022 Winter Olympics: A front for snooping?
The 2022 Winter Olympics are set to take place in Beijing from February 4 to 20. About 2,864 athletes are set to participate in the games, each representing their home countries.
After reverse engineering all of the #Beijing2022 #spyware app for @Apple #ios and @Google #Android
¡ª Jonathan Scott (@jonathandata1) January 26, 2022
I can definitively say all Olympian audio is being collected, analyzed and saved on Chinese servers using tech from USA blacklisted AI firm @iflytek1999 https://t.co/9sP8PZP pic.twitter.com/hdIfiKX37m
China has employed the same firm that it reportedly uses to monitor Uighur Muslims in its northwestern Xinjian region, where they're forced into Nazi-style concentration camps. The iFlytek was blacklisted by MIT for the very same reason.
Also read: China Is Developing Mind Control Weaponry That Could 'Break Enemy's Will To Resist'
According to Jonathan Scott, the spyware is being used to snoop on athletes of different countries on both Apple iOS and Google Android devices. In his own words, the audio is being "collected, analyzed and saved on Chinese servers using tech from USA blacklisted AI firm iFlytek."
Decompiled #Olympics2022 #iOS and #Android Apps available on Github Now.
¡ª Jonathan Scott (@jonathandata1) January 23, 2022
Evidence of Chinese data exfiltration although the Apple App store claims "Data Not Collected"
This repo directly correlates with my full report I will be releasing. #spywarehttps://t.co/hBAxyLMzBp
The revelations were made by Scott in a Twitter thread where he also attached a decompiled GitHub list of iOS and Android apps used by Beijing to snoop on athletes ahead of 2022 Winter Olympics.
Reuters
The contentious My2022 App
All Olympic attendees - diplomats, athletes, and members of media are being urged to download the "My2022 app" which was developed by the games' organising committee. When downloading the app, it clearly states that there is "no data collection" on its part.
As Jonathan Scott's research shows, this is far from the truth. On Android, things are more dire - for My2022 app has a series of permissions on Google's mobile OS. On Android, the app has numerous remote capabilities - to make phone calls, to connect to wifi, to open GPS, to get clipboard data and more.
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Scott's research on iOS shows that the Chinese government is tracking personal details about any physical symptoms of athletes. By extrapolation, these may be leveraged to improve the country's personal victories at the Winter Olympics. The Olympic Committee claims that this data is used to ensure a Covid-free Winter Olympics.
clearer API calls can be seen here.
¡ª Jonathan Scott (@jonathandata1) January 26, 2022
These calls come from the TLauncher binary compiled for iOS
I have decrypted the .ipa file, and re-uploaded it to my website for all to download and research. https://t.co/OI9PSjLBUC pic.twitter.com/RdMVh4X2VS
US officials have urged their athletes to carry disposable phones to China during the Olympic Games to avoid bringing any malware back home. In addition, diplomats from many countries are not attending the Games for China's recent human rights transgressions - be it in Xinjiang's concentration camps or in formerly free Hong Kong.
What do you think about China's snooping campaign? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
References
Knight, W. (2020, April 21). MIT Cuts Ties With a Chinese AI Firm Amid Human Rights Concerns. Wired.
Mao, F. W. S. B. (2022, January 18). Winter Olympics: Athletes advised to use burner phones in Beijing. BBC News.
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