The Ministry of Digital Affairs yesterday officially named Douyin, Xiaohongshu (小紅書, known as RedNote in English), Sina Weibo, Weixin and Baidu Cloud as information security risks and urged the public to be wary and better protect their digital safety.
The ministry said that the apps all collect sensitive information, tap into device storage, exceed authorization parameters, access users’ biometric details, access system information, and send or share information with third parties.
Once users have approved apps to access internal storage, sensitive information, such as geolocation, contact lists and credit card numbers, they could be exposed and used without authorization, the ministry said.
Photo: CNA
Biometric information accessed in this way could be used to create deepfake videos or audio messages to scam friends and family, or to spread disinformation, it said.
The apps could allow scam groups to learn users’ daily habits, thereby exposing them to a greater risk of being scammed or harassed, the ministry said.
As the Chinese government demands that corporations provide client information by law, any information saved or processed by Chinese corporations or companies within China is at greater risk, compared with corporations in other nations, of being accessed by Chinese intelligence units, the ministry said.
The government in September amended the Information and Communication Security Management Act (資通安全管理法), requiring that all equipment used by government agencies be banned from downloading or installing any of the apps mentioned.
The amendments also stated that all government networks should ban access and use of the software, the ministry said.
The ministry urged users to refrain from using or installing the apps, carefully read the privacy policy of all apps to know where the app is storing its data, allow apps minimal access and regularly review authority settings, take note of security warnings of apps wanting more access, not install apps from unknown sources, and to use firewall and antivirus programs.
Administration for Cybersecurity Director-General Tsai Fu-lung (蔡福隆) said that apps usually cannot operate outside the parameters set by the operating system, adding that the public should be able to determine whether an app has requested authorization to access functions it is not supposed to.
Tsai urged the public not to download free apps on a whim and to download only the software they need or use, and to remove unnecessary apps.
Asked about the ministry’s progress on designating high-risk apps for elementary schools, Tsai said the ministry is still in talks with the Ministry of Education and would hopefully announce the list before the end of this month.
Tsai said that the Taiwan Academic Network, used by junior-high and high schools, already prevents users from accessing TikTok, Xiaohongshu and other platforms hosting short videos.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
RSS