MSS urges public to guard core national and personal data from foreign infiltration

Foreign espionage and intelligence agencies have escalating efforts to infiltrate China's data sector, aiming to steal critical data and compromise national security in recent years. The public is urged to stay vigilant, protecting both critical national and personal data in their work and life and be alert to foreign intelligence agencies stealing our country's core sensitive data, China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) said on Tuesday.

Due to the intangible and hard-to-trace nature of data, and the diversity of data owners and the complexity of processing activities, there are significant risks across collection, transmission, storage, usage, deletion, and destruction stages, including data leaks, data tampering, data misuse, unauthorized transmission, illegal access, and abnormal traffic.

The MSS reminds the public that safeguarding data security is a comprehensive effort necessitating broad public involvement.

The general public should remain vigilant in protecting important national data and sensitive personal data in their work and life, and be alert to foreign intelligence agencies stealing our country's core sensitive data, to collectively fortify national data security, the MSS said.

Supported by solid data security measures, China’s digital technologies like digital consumption, smart manufacturing, and 5G continue to advance, fueling growth in the digital economy. 

According to statistics, China's digital economy grew from 11.2 trillion yuan ($1.57 trillion) in 2012 to 53.9 trillion yuan by 2023. The growth of the digital economy accounted for 66.45% of gross domestic product (GDP) growth, significantly bolstering new productive forces, the MSS noted.