An online dump of documents originating from a private security contractor is currently being investigated by the Chinese authorities as the dump details hacking activity, as well as domestic and foreign spying tools used by the Chinese government. The dump contains highly sensitive information exposing the methodology used by Chinese authorities to conduct surveillance on dissidents both domestically and abroad as well as pro-Beijing media campaigns and means of hacking other nations.

I-Soon, the company whose material was leaked, was revealed to have hacked networks across Central and Southeast Asia including Taiwan and Hong Kong. The dump reveals the targets of these tools including both ethnicities and dissidents in parts of China that are known to contain anti-government sentiments and demonstrations. The hacking tools were used as a means of disguising the online activity of overseas agents and uncovering the identities of social media users outside of China. Another part of the leak detailed internal databases of hacked information from foreign networks that have been sold to Chinese authorities. The information from the leak revealed that the tools provided by I-Soon are used by the Chinese authorities to suppress dissent and surveil Chinese media platforms. As of Tuesday, the I-Soon website was fully offline, and the company is jointly investigating the leak with the Chinese police.

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