Chinese ministry calls for caution over online dissemination of sensitive information

China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) issued a statement on its WeChat account on Sunday, urging caution over sharing sensitive information online without declassification or risk evaluation.

Such information may serve as a major source of open-source intelligence for foreign espionage agencies, which may potentially endanger national security, the statement said.

Open-source information typically includes publicly accessible and legally obtainable resources, including social media posts, online forum discussions, blog articles, media reports, satellite imagery, and more.

The ministry noted that the information sources typically include publicly accessible and legally obtainable resources, rendering them attractive targets for foreign intelligence agencies.

The statement outlines three scenarios in which sensitive information disclosure may result in leaks, such as public disclosures and oversharing on social media platforms.

The ministry warns that leaks may result from activities like uploading classified documents to public websites, or posting images on social media platforms showing sensitive or restricted places.

Such actions disrupt the management of classified sites and could be exploited by foreign espionage agencies, posing a serious threat to national security, according to the ministry.

MSS also recommend that relevant departments and organizations enhance precautionary measures and adopt stricter protocols to prevent leaks of sensitive and crucial information.

The recommendations also include enhancing oversight of the personnel handling classified information to ensure strict compliance with confidentiality rules, including moves to improve the entire information flow process, implement robust content review mechanism, adherence to content editing protocols, proper declassification before publication, and verification before reposting, among other measures.