China warns delivery data can be 'strategic intelligence' for foreign spy agencies

China's counterintelligence authorities have warned that parcel delivery data can constitute "strategic intelligence" capable of revealing the state of the national economy, urging vigilance against foreign spy agencies attempting to steal such information.

China's Ministry of State Security said Sunday that a man was recently caught breaking into a courier depot in the early morning hours and plugging a USB drive loaded with malware into an office computer. The ministry said it treated the incident as an attempt to extract data from the delivery company and moved to shut down the information leak channel. It did not disclose the location of the incident, the suspect's identity or any alleged backers.

The ministry said parcel logistics data serves both as an indicator of the national economy's pulse and as a target for foreign intelligence agencies. It said that combining delivery routes, types of goods and shipping manifest information makes it possible to infer individuals' consumption habits and lifestyle patterns. Analyzing delivery records around sensitive facilities such as defense contractors and research institutes, it added, can reveal the work and daily routines of personnel at those sites.

The ministry also said that examining the volume of parcels sent and received by region, the composition of goods and their movement routes makes it possible to draw inferences about population distribution, migration trends and industrial layout — broad economic and social patterns.

The ministry ordered delivery companies to tighten controls over access to personal data and strengthen security training for employees. It advised citizens to erase personal information such as names and addresses from packaging before disposal, and to use unmanned parcel lockers or communal pickup points where possible.

China has been raising its alert level against foreign intelligence-gathering activities by increasingly linking data and advanced technology to national security concerns. Last month, the ministry said it had uncovered cases of foreign spy agencies attempting to infiltrate network-connected industrial drone systems to steal data, and urged related companies to bolster their security.