Justice For Myanmar (JFM) has revealed that internet surveillance equipment and technology from Chinese company Geedge Networks has been installed in 13 domestic telecommunications companies, aimed at monitoring the internet usage of over 30 million users. According to an InterSecLab report, this system, similar to China’s Great Firewall, is being sold by the Chinese company to authoritarian governments worldwide, including Myanmar. The revelation comes from leaked company documents numbering over 100,000 that detail the company’s operations.
The investigation found that Geedge Networks has been installing sophisticated surveillance technology and equipment in authoritarian countries including Myanmar, Ethiopia, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan. The system’s capabilities include intercepting users’ activities, real-time tracking of mobile phone users’ locations, analyzing internet usage during protests and events, automatic flagging of suspicious activities, blocking websites and applications, and identifying and tracking VPN users. The system can also monitor individual internet usage patterns, assign risk scores based on online behavior, and inject malicious software.
The company’s main product, Tiangou Secure Gateway (TSG), has the capability to inject malware into internet traffic streams. The system can insert malicious code into users’ web pages and modify various file types for Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. Additionally, using Cyber Narrator, it can target and steal internet usage data from specific individuals. The system can analyze which URLs would be most suitable for targeting specific individuals for hacking purposes and can exploit potential vulnerabilities based on users’ previous internet usage patterns.
Currently, Geedge Networks has installed its Chinese-style internet blocking system in 13 domestic telecommunications companies including ATOM (formerly Telenor Myanmar), Mytel, Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), Ooredoo Myanmar, Frontiir, StreamNet, Golden TMH Telecom, Internet Maekhong Network (IM-Net), Myanmar Broadband Telecom (MBT), Myanmar Telecommunication Network (MTN), Campana, Global Technology Group, and China Unicom. JFM has pointed out that this installation demonstrates China’s involvement in the military council’s international crimes, calling for sanctions against Geedge Networks and its leadership, as well as international criminal investigations into other relevant parties.
