35 countries use Chinese networks for transporting mobile user traffic, posing cyber risks | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"35 countries use Chinese networks for transporting mobile user traffic, posing cyber risks\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"An analysis from iVerify found U.S. allies on the list where mobile providers employ China-based networks.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" 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role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.314317673378\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"34.158567774936\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks\/\"> <span>Technology<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> An analysis from iVerify found U.S. allies on the list where mobile providers employ China-based networks. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/84210\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-2.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-2.jpg?resize=505,337 505w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-2.jpg?resize=1012,675 1012w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-2.jpg?resize=1264,843 1264w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1012px) 100vw, 1012px\"><figcaption> Shanghai, China; AerialPerspective Images, Getty Images <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"27.520272631947\"><body readability=\"57.279465370595\"><\/p>\n<p>U.S. allies are among the 35 countries where mobile providers employ China-based networks for transporting user traffic, opening travelers and residents in those nations to potential surveillance, <a href=\"http:\/\/iverify.io\/blog\/abusing-data-in-the-middle-surveillance-risks-in-china-s-state-owned-mobile-ecosystem\">an analysis<\/a> published Thursday concludes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone knows that they have to be careful with their phones when they travel to China,\u201d Rocky Cole, chief operating officer at iVerify, told CyberScoop. \u201cBut what we\u2019ve done is some research that shows that China is everywhere. Chinese technology is an integral part of the mobile backbone of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sixty operators in those 35 nations \u2014 a list that includes Japan, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand \u2014 make use of China- and Hong Kong-headquartered interconnect services from China Mobile International, China Telecom Global, China Unicom Global, CITIC Telecom International and PCCW Global Hong Kong, according to iVerify.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA major issue lies in the fact that these providers operate under the direction of the Chinese government, raising the risk of global surveillance, data interception, and exploitation for state-sponsored cyber espionage,\u201d the analysis reads. \u201cTheir role in the mobile interconnect system grants them access to critical functions, including device authentication, call setup, SMS delivery, location updates, and data session management \u2014 making them prime channels for exploiting network vulnerabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Chinese infiltration of telecommunications infrastructure is a major fear in the United States, with years of effort and <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/senators-witnesses-3b-for-rip-and-replace-a-good-start-to-preventing-salt-typhoon-style-breaches\/\">billions allocated<\/a> to removing China-made equipment from Huawei and ZTE from U.S. telecom networks. U.S. officials have also sounded alarms over the <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/tag\/salt-typhoon\/\">massive Salt Typhoon breach<\/a> of providers.<\/p>\n<p>iVerify drew its analysis from documents that mobile network operators submitted to the GSM Association (GSMA), with GSM standing for \u201cGlobal System for Mobile\u201d communications. The Federal Communications Commission <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/technology\/fcc-probing-if-chinese-tech-telecom-firms-seeking-evade-us-restrictions-2025-03-21\/\">is investigating<\/a> several of the China-based companies on iVerify\u2019s list to see if they\u2019re evading U.S. restrictions.<\/p>\n<p>Unraveling connections to those companies is a difficult prospect, Cole said. An organization like the GSMA \u201cwould need to update their standard that signaling data needs to be encrypted,\u201d he said. \u201cA certain amount of metadata has to be in the clear in order for communications to be routed around the world, but I think it\u2019s time to take a look at, does all of that data need to be unencrypted?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<section class=\"latest-podcasts\">\n<h2 class=\"latest-podcasts__title\"> Latest 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{"id":7549,"date":"2025-04-17T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=84210"},"modified":"2025-04-17T07:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T12:30:00","slug":"35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/04\/17\/35-countries-use-chinese-networks-for-transporting-mobile-user-traffic-posing-cyber-risks\/","title":{"rendered":"35 countries use Chinese networks for transporting mobile user traffic, posing cyber risks"},"content":{"rendered":"