The Citizen Lab

NEW REPORT🔎 In collaboration with @ICIJorg, we identified two distinct actors aligned with the People’s Republic of China that have been targeting and impersonating journalists and civil society. Full report 👇 citizenlab.ca/research/how-c…

NEW: we caught 🇨🇳Chinese hackers... again. Twist: they're hacking journalists & activists, but we suspect they're private contractors. State repression... with a profit margin. Thread + how to protect yourself 1/ By us @citizenlab in collab w/@ICIJorg

ChatGPT Is Banned In China. Beijing’s Spies Are Still Using It. via @forbes forbes.com/sites/the-wire… @iblametom on our @citizenlab / @ICIJorg investigation 👇

China-linked hackers led phishing campaigns targeting journalists and activists, researchers say therecord.media/china-linked-h… @TheRecord_Media

Thanks for having me on @NPR @npratc to talk with Rob Schmitz about our new @citizenlab report on Webloc, and advertising intelligence in general npr.org/2026/04/26/nx-…

These operations point to a shift toward a Military-Civil Fusion model, in which state-aligned objectives are pursued through state-sponsored attacks carried out by private contractors.

The dual targeting of ICIJ by two distinct actors–using different tactics and tradecraft–offers rare insight into China’s broader approach to digital transnational repression.

NEW REPORT🔎 In collaboration with @ICIJorg, we identified two distinct actors aligned with the People’s Republic of China that have been targeting and impersonating journalists and civil society. Full report 👇 citizenlab.ca/research/how-c…

5/ For the TL;DR version, read the FAQ 👇 citizenlab.ca/research/uncov…

4/ Our findings highlight systemic weaknesses in global telecom trust models and the urgent need for stronger safeguards.

🚨New research reveals how two sophisticated surveillance actors exploited the global telecom ecosystem and, for the first time, directly links combined 3G and 4G network attacks to mobile operator infrastructure. Full report 👇 citizenlab.ca/research/uncov…

She will speak on the “Defend Across Borders: Safe Havens, Exile, and Transnational Repression” panel, discussing mobilization in exile, TNR, and the responsibilities of host states in responding to transnational threats against exiled dissidents and protecting the integrity of their own public spheres.

Join Noura Aljizawi at the inaugural Ottawa Civic Space Summit on April 21, hosted by Cooperation Canada and Resilient Societies: app.glueup.com/event/igniting…

Senior research associate @emiledirks spoke with @DominoTheoryMag about Xi Jinping’s view of national security in light of U.S. and Israeli cyber operations in Iran: dominotheory.com/from-stuxnet-t…

Other products developed by Cobwebs are also concerning, as are its ties to spyware vendor Quadream via Omri Timianker, who founded Cobwebs Technologies and now oversees Penlink’s international operations.

Location data collected from apps and digital advertising can reveal habits, interests and almost any other aspect of someone's life. The misuse of consumer data raises concerns, especially when used to target vulnerable groups such as immigrants or protesters.

NEW REPORT: “Uncovering Webloc: An Analysis of Penlink’s Ad-based Geolocation Surveillance Tech” Our research confirms that ad-based surveillance tech Webloc is used by military, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies across the globe. citizenlab.ca/research/analy…