China Says 'Parcel Data Is Also Strategic Intelligence,' Warns of Foreign Intelligence Agencies' Theft Attempts

[Financial News] China’s counterintelligence authorities warned that parcel-delivery data could also constitute “strategic intelligence” capable of revealing the state of the national economy, urging vigilance against attempts by foreign intelligence agencies to steal such data.
China’s Ministry of State Security said on the 6th that a man was recently caught breaking into a parcel-delivery outlet in the early morning and connecting a USB drive containing malware to a work computer. The ministry said it regarded the incident as an attempt to extract data from a parcel-delivery company and had blocked the channel through which information could have been leaked. 
However, it did not disclose specific details, including where the incident occurred, the suspect’s identity or any possible backers.
China’s Ministry of State Security claimed that parcel-logistics data can serve as an indicator of the flow of the national economy while also becoming information targeted by foreign intelligence agencies.
It explained that combining delivery routes, types of goods and shipping-label information could help estimate individuals’ consumption habits and daily-life patterns. Analyzing delivery records around sensitive facilities, such as defense companies and research institutes, could also reveal the work and living patterns of related personnel.
The ministry added that analyzing the volume and composition of parcels sent and received by region, along with their movement routes, could help infer broader economic and social trends, including population distribution, migration patterns and industrial distribution.
China’s Ministry of State Security instructed parcel-delivery companies to strictly manage access to personal information and strengthen security training for employees.
It also urged citizens to remove personal information, such as names and addresses, before discarding parcel packaging after receiving deliveries, and to use unmanned parcel lockers or shared pickup locations whenever possible.
China has recently heightened its vigilance over foreign intelligence agencies’ information-gathering activities by linking data and advanced-technology sectors to national security concerns.
The ministry also said last month that it had uncovered a case in which a foreign intelligence agency attempted to infiltrate an industrial unmanned-aircraft system connected to a communications network and steal data, urging relevant companies to strengthen security.

[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, International Affairs Specialist Reporter