The Chinese government is apparently forcing tourists to download malware onto their phones when visiting the country. The malware downloads text messages, phone logs and calendar entries, and scans devices for around 73,000 other files.
According to a joint report, tourists crossing the Chinese border into the Xinjiang region had their phones seized by border guards, who then installed Android malware called BXAQ or Fengcai. Analyses indicated that it searched for Islamic content and other targeted files.
A tourist supplied the malware to journalists, and a reporter later experienced the installation while crossing the border. The reports also described machines used to search iPhones and broader restrictions on international news and social sites.