Security researchers say Chinese authorities are using a new type of malware to extract data from seized phones, allowing them to obtain text messages — including from chat apps such as Signal — images, location histories, audio recordings, contacts, and more.
On Wednesday, mobile cybersecurity company Lookout published a new report — shared exclusively with TechCrunch — detailing the hacking tool called Massistant, which the company said was developed by Chinese tech giant Xiamen Meiya Pico.
Massistant, according to Lookout, is Android software used for the forensic extraction of data from mobile phones, meaning the authorities using it need to have physical access to those devices. While Lookout doesn’t know for sure which Chinese police agencies are using the tool, its use is assumed widespread, which means both Chinese residents, as well as travelers to China, should be aware of the tool’s existence and the risks it poses.
“It’s a big concern. I think anybody who’s traveling in the region needs to be aware that the device that they bring into the country could very well be confiscated and anything that’s on it could be collected,” Kristina Balaam, a researcher at Lookout who analyzed the malware, told TechCrunch ahead of the report’s release. “I think it’s something everybody should be aware of if they’re traveling in the region.”
Balaam found several posts on local Chinese forums where people complained about finding the malware installed on their devices after interactions with the police.
“It seems to be pretty broadly used, especially from what I’ve seen in the rumblings on these Chinese forums,” said Balaam.
The malware, which must be planted on an unlocked device, and works in tandem with a hardware tower connected to a desktop comput …