China warns data leaks from wind towers could threaten national security

Companies with ties to foreign spies are building meteorological towers and sending sensitive information abroad, according to CCTV

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Chinese state security authorities have raised alarms about meteorological towers that collect data on wind speed, temperature and air pressure. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 3:00pm, 18 Aug 2024Updated: 3:43pm, 18 Aug 2024

China’s Ministry of State Security has warned of data leak risks from wind measurement towers as part of the country’s sweeping national security drive.

On Sunday, state broadcaster CCTV shared cases obtained from the ministry, reporting that “a few companies” with ties to foreign spy agencies had “secretly infiltrated areas” around the country’s classified locations under the guise of building such towers – tall structures that measure meteorological data such as wind speed, direction, temperature and air pressure.

“They have illegally collected sensitive data and transmitted it abroad, posing a threat to national security,” CCTV said.

A resident of a coastal city reported to national security authorities that a company had illegally built a wind tower near a sensitive location, and the resident suspected the tower might be used to collect sensitive data, according to the report.

The ministry investigated and found that the wind tower could analyse and send data, CCTV said, adding that “if this data was leaked abroad, it could pose a risk to national security”.

Authorities have stopped the data from being leaked abroad, according to the report.

The report did not give details about the resident’s identity, the location of the wind tower or which coastal city it was in, who operated the tower or any criminal penalties arising from the case.