State secrets were leaked due to document scanning software.

According to an announcement from China's Ministry of State Security, a civil servant inadvertently exposed their account on a document-scanning app, leading to the leak of important documents.

Using your phone to scan documents poses many security risks. Image: Created by AI .

Page 163 , citing sources from China's Ministry of State Security, reported that a civil servant used online document scanning software to store meeting minutes. The files were automatically backed up to the application's cloud service. However, the password for this person's online account was compromised.

The attackers obtained 127 pages of confidential documents that the employee had scanned over three years. These files were then disseminated on international social media. “The incident resulted in a massive data leak and posed a real threat to national security,” the Chinese Ministry of State Security stated in a press release.

Government agencies are warning employees about a lack of security awareness and insufficient understanding of information security risks. These factors increase the risk of leaks of state secrets. The Chinese Ministry of State Security has highlighted the potential dangers of document scanning apps and warned employees against their use.

Specifically, these types of software need to use online databases to compare and analyze user-provided files. This means that during the processing phase, data is shared with third parties. Some apps request unusual permissions such as access to the microphone, photo albums, or message history. They can steal sensitive user information.

Storing confidential documents in the cloud is not guaranteed. They are usually protected by the service provider. However, there is no guarantee they can provide perfect protection against hacking.

The Chinese Ministry of State Security has warned its employees to always keep confidential documents away from the internet and not to view important documents online. Using software to scan documents on mobile phones is also strictly prohibited.

Source: https://znews.vn/lam-lo-bi-mat-quoc-gia-vi-phan-mem-quet-tai-lieu-post1547777.html