The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Center (IC3) issued a security alert this week regarding foreign applications (Apps) widely used within the United States. According to the investigation, many Apps developed and maintained by Chinese companies are limited by local laws, giving the Chinese authorities access to user data.
This warning, released on March 31, states that the risks associated with these Apps are not limited to the downloaders. The FBI points out that when users allow Apps to access their contacts to “invite friends,” developers can obtain a large amount of contact information from the user’s phone, including names, email addresses, user IDs, physical addresses, and phone numbers.
“This permission allows the App to access a significant amount of user and non-user personal information from their contact list,” warns the FBI.
Fox News highlights in its report that this means “even if someone has never downloaded these foreign-developed software, their information may still be extracted and stored overseas from other people’s contact lists.”
In the past, U.S. officials have repeatedly warned that data collected by Chinese software could be used to establish detailed profiles of Americans, particularly government officials or military personnel, outlining their personal and professional relationships and potentially supporting intelligence gathering efforts.
Although specific company names were not listed in the FBI’s official announcement, several media reports mentioned popular Apps by name.
According to Fox News, this warning may cover video editing software CapCut, shopping platforms Temu and SHEIN, as well as social media Lemon8.
Tech website Techlicious warns that the recent popular Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek may also have similar security concerns.
The core question facing these Apps lies in the regulations under the Chinese Communist regime. According to Techlicious, based on the 2017 Chinese National Intelligence Law, any organization and citizen must support, assist, and cooperate with state intelligence work, and companies cannot refuse. This makes data stored on Chinese servers susceptible to government access at any time.
In addition to regular data collection, the FBI also warns that some Apps may contain malicious software or “backdoor programs.” These malicious codes are designed to exploit operating system vulnerabilities to escalate privileges and carry out unauthorized data downloads.
The FBI particularly cautions that downloading Apps from unofficial third-party stores poses a higher risk of infection.
For users who have already installed related software, the FBI recommends monitoring their phone for abnormal activities, such as unusual battery consumption, significant data usage spikes, or unauthorized account activities.
To ensure digital security, the FBI advises the public to take the following measures:
1. Disable unnecessary data sharing permissions.
2. Download verified Apps only from official app stores.
3. Regularly update passwords and device software.
4. Read the terms of service or privacy policy before downloading.
Techlicious suggests that users utilize the system tools on their phones to check permissions. iPhone users can access the “App Privacy Report” to view access frequencies, while Android users can use “Permission Management Tools” to revoke unnecessary permission grants.
If individuals suspect their data has been illegally compromised, they can report to the FBI on the official website.