Unsecured Chinese Policing Dashboard Exposed Foreigner Tracking Data

A German cybersecurity journalist discovered an unsecured test dashboard on the open web that appeared designed to track foreign nationals in Zhangjiakou, a city in Hebei province. The platform, titled "Dynamic Control Platform for Overseas Personnel," displayed the number of registered foreigners by nationality and mapped their locations at the district level.

It also contained pre-filled profiles that included headshots, passport details, mobile phone numbers, and dates of birth for approximately 350 journalists based in Beijing in 2021.

One journalist identified as trackable had 78 CCTV records at a single intersection, plus additional records from supermarkets and subway stations. The system recorded transport details such as train numbers and seat assignments. It also logged hospital visits, hotel stays, frequently visited places, and petrol purchases for some foreign residents.

A "relationship modelling" function displayed connections between profiles, including a list of foreigners who travelled together most frequently. " About 40 Australians appeared across these categories, most with Chinese names. The system also tracked statistics on nationals from Five Eyes countries.

The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China stated in its 2025 report that surveillance of foreign press has grown increasingly sophisticated and digitalised. Fergus Ryan of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said the data-fusion methods shown in the Zhangjiakou system appear to be spreading beyond Xinjiang.

The platform lacked mobile phone tracking data and was missing information for some profiles. China's Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of the circumstances when provided with details of the findings.