Asia Pacific
This report describes privacy and security issues with Baidu Browser, a web browser for the Windows and Android platforms. Our research shows that the application transmits personal user data to Baidu servers without encryption and with easily decryptable encryption, and is vulnerable to arbitrary code execution during software updates via man-in-the-middle attacks. Much of the data leakage is the result of a shared Baidu software development kit, which affects hundreds of additional applications.
Citizen Lab Senior Research Fellow Bill Marczak spoke to ABC Australia regarding the proxy server for the remote intrusion software FinFisher found in Sydney, Australia.
Freedom House has released their “Freedom on the Net 2015” report, placing China at the bottom of a ranking comprising 65 countries. The report cites the Citizen Lab’s research on China, specifically on chat application censorship and targeted threats.
A second audit of South Korea’s Smart Sheriff application reveals that there are numerous unresolved vulnerabilities that put minor children and parental users of the application at serious risk.
Citizen Lab Cyber Stewards Network partner EngageMedia partnered with Access and the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) to organize RightsCon Southeast Asia from March 24-25, 2015. The conference, held in Manila, brought together over 600 participants from the region and across the world.
Citizen Lab Cyber Stewards Network partner EngageMedia co-hosted a public forum in Bangkok on October 17, together with the Foundation for Internet and Civic Culture, discussing the pending Internet laws in Thailand.
This report analyzes a campaign of targeted attacks against an NGO working on environmental issues in Southeast Asia. Our analysis reveals connections between these attacks, recent strategic web compromises against Burmese government websites, and previous campaigns targeting groups in the Tibetan community.
In an article written for Foreign Affairs, Citizen Lab Senior Research Fellow Jason Q. Ng discusses the crackdown of “rumours” on the popular Chinese WeChat mobile application, and its broader implications for censorship in the country.
Citizen Lab Senior Research Fellow Jason Q. Ng spoke to the China Economic Review on the findings of the UC Browser report, and the impact of security vulnerabilities on users.
The Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto is releasing a new report, “Are the Kids Alright? Digital Risks to Minors from South Korea’s Smart Sheriff Application.” The report details results of two independent audits of the privacy and security of Smart Sheriff, a parental monitoring application that has been promoted by the South Korean government.