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From a China-built headquarters bugged for five years to rural American networks near missile silos—documented cases of Chinese surveillance through technology infrastructure.
Average time before detection: 393 days — Chinese hackers often remain in networks for over a year before discovery.
These aren't theories—they're documented surveillance operations discovered by security researchers, journalists, and government investigations.
China-built headquarters had data transferred daily to Shanghai for 5+ years. Listening devices found throughout.
Huawei had unauthorized access to 6.5 million users and could monitor the Prime Minister.
FBI found Chinese equipment near missile silos could intercept military communications.
Bloomberg reported rice-grain-sized spy chips on server motherboards (disputed but unresolved).
In 2006, the Chinese government agreed to fund and construct the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at a cost of $200 million. The building opened in 2012. For the next five years, it was systematically surveilled.
January 2017: AU IT department noticed unusual server traffic between midnight and 2 a.m.
Investigation: Found data was being collected and transferred daily to servers in Shanghai
Physical Search: Microphones and listening devices found planted throughout the building
January 2018: Le Monde Afrique broke the story publicly
The Cover-Up
The African Union kept the surveillance secret for a full year after discovering it. Officials were concerned about damaging their relationship with China.
"The African Union center was built at the AU's request with Chinese government assistance. The Le Monde report was based on groundless accusations."
The Five Eyes intelligence alliance—United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand—has unanimously declared that Chinese telecommunications equipment poses "significant security risks." All five nations have now banned or restricted Huawei from their 5G networks.
"We are deeply concerned about the risks of allowing any company or entity that is beholden to foreign governments that don't share our values to gain positions of power inside our telecommunications networks."
The Australian Signals Directorate conducted an 8-month "red vs. blue" war game to assess the risks:
The Biggest Risk
A senior Australian spy revealed the main risk was not spying—but that Beijing could order Huawei to disconnect Australia's 5G network entirely. "The sewerage pump stops working. Clean water doesn't come to you. Electric cars don't work."
FBI Director Warning (2024)
"China's hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities, if or when China decides the time has come to strike."
Rural telecom networks are particularly vulnerable. Many small carriers purchased inexpensive Huawei and ZTE equipment before the security concerns were widely understood. Now, that equipment poses a unique risk.
The FBI's investigation of the "Volt Typhoon" hacking group found that Chinese government hackers had gained access to:
Telecommunications
Energy Sector
Water Sector
Other Critical Infrastructure
"PRC-affiliated actors have compromised networks at multiple telecommunications companies to enable the theft of customer call records data, the compromise of private communications of individuals primarily involved in government or political activity."
China-built infrastructure (AU HQ) included surveillance from day one
Not just monitoring—knowing who is being monitored by police
5+ years of daily data theft before discovery at AU
Rural telecom equipment near missile silos flagged by FBI
The Bottom Line
If Chinese companies or government built or supplied your network equipment, assume it has been—or could be—used for surveillance.
Use our device lookup tool to check if any of your equipment comes from manufacturers involved in these surveillance cases.