Ban on Tiktok, ban on Chinese cars?
Ban on Tiktok, ban on Chinese cars?
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Discussion

SR

Original Poster:

473 posts

229 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
Somewhat tongue in cheek, but with various governmental agencies around the world banning Tiktok, the concerns over Chinese surveillance equipment in use already, shouldn't Chinese cars be banned?
The possibilities it seems, especially with over the air updates are endless. Computing power and automation of cars surely is of a far greater threat than from Tiktok.
Parking cameras used to spy in sensitive areas, kamikaze cars taking to pedestrian areas?

bongtom

2,018 posts

107 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
Are car parks sensitive areas?

SR

Original Poster:

473 posts

229 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
I used to work in Portsmouth Royal Navy docks, no cameras allowed there.
I'm sure there are many other locations where cameras are not allowed.

sherman

14,957 posts

239 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
SR said:
I used to work in Portsmouth Royal Navy docks, no cameras allowed there.
I'm sure there are many other locations where cameras are not allowed.
So how do you disable your reversing camera etc on you volvo/MG?
How many people could/would if it is possible?
How many newish volvo/MG are in those carparks?
They are owned by the chinese incase you forgot.

SR

Original Poster:

473 posts

229 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
Yes, I know MG, Volvo, Polestar etc are Chinese.
As I said in my opening comment, this is somewhat tongue in cheek but surely if there are concerns about nefarious activities with Tiktok then shouldn't there be some concerns with Chinese cars?

Edited by SR on Thursday 2nd March 00:59


Edited by SR on Thursday 2nd March 01:17

bongtom

2,018 posts

107 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
My mate has a Lada i'd be more concerned about that.

SR

Original Poster:

473 posts

229 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
Get rid of the mate if he won't get rid of the Lada.

PositronicRay

28,680 posts

207 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
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In a connected world, your fridge and door bell will be observing and reporting on your activities.

What's the difference?

Moos3h

183 posts

206 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
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I’m really hoping my MG5 gets banned…I’d happily surrender the poorly made lump of plastic back to the authorities!

extraT

1,876 posts

174 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
Forget the camera, what about the GPS / tracking cars use? Or phones. Wasn’t there a scare a few years back because MapMyRun was able to accurately map out sensitive areas like bases etc… when the app was used? Same thing with cars feeding back data. Or your fridge.

pakora

173 posts

223 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
Hasn't this kind of technology been in use in the past or present, "numerous brands of color laser printers leave coded metadata in barely perceptible yellow dots that can be used to trace a printed document to its source, a feature originally intended as a deterrent to counterfeiting currency with laser printers"
Is the concern more about who's doing it?

vaud

58,179 posts

179 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
extraT said:
Forget the camera, what about the GPS / tracking cars use? Or phones. Wasn’t there a scare a few years back because MapMyRun was able to accurately map out sensitive areas like bases etc… when the app was used? Same thing with cars feeding back data. Or your fridge.
Staff and contractors on bases are asked not to use the tracking apps (Strava, etc) when on or near base.

aterribleusername

459 posts

87 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
extraT said:
Forget the camera, what about the GPS / tracking cars use? Or phones. Wasn’t there a scare a few years back because MapMyRun was able to accurately map out sensitive areas like bases etc… when the app was used? Same thing with cars feeding back data. Or your fridge.
That was Strava being used by US Military Personnel and the Heat map feature, lit up every US Base they had on a free database!

Baldchap

9,515 posts

116 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
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As someone who did very well out of information security, Strava makes me laugh.

Users (and we are all creatures of habit) literally publicise when they are regularly out, for how long and where they start and end (i.e. where you live).

Brilliant idea. laugh

TikTok doesn't work on my home network, and traffic to China (and approx 30 other countries) is also blocked. Fortunately I have a segregated Guest network, but the amount of traffic generated by TikTok before I blocked it was spectacular. Also the amount of attempted network scans from those same devices.

Roombas (or their clones) have been sharing internal layouts with their Chinese creators. My SiL had a camera that was literally broadcasting to a Chinese endpoint... Etc etc etc.

People are sleepwalking into a big security hole by buying cheap Chinese consumer goods and their obsession with social media 'sharing', and it will bite them in the bottom at some point.

Can't comment on MG but wouldn't surprise me if it was doing a sneaky sneaky...

Puggit

49,468 posts

272 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
Moos3h said:
I’m really hoping my MG5 gets banned…I’d happily surrender the poorly made lump of plastic back to the authorities!
AutoTrader have a monthly draw to win an electric car. In February it was an MG - first time I didn't enter for months!

Dracoro

8,999 posts

269 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
Baldchap said:
As someone who did very well out of information security, Strava makes me laugh.

Users (and we are all creatures of habit) literally publicise when they are regularly out, for how long and where they start and end (i.e. where you live).

Brilliant idea. laugh
It only shows approx area where you live. So from my Strava you could find out what village I lived in, not sure what that gives you or whether I should care? You don't need to see the village from the maps anyway, it's in my profile biggrin

vaud

58,179 posts

179 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
Dracoro said:
It only shows approx area where you live. So from my Strava you could find out what village I lived in, not sure what that gives you or whether I should care? You don't need to see the village from the maps anyway, it's in my profile biggrin
But in military deployments you can gauge activity and intensity in areas where you might not be expecting it:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jan/29...

Dracoro

8,999 posts

269 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
So a load of people who work at GCHQ/CIA/etc. like to do exercise locally...... Not sure how that compromised security given we know loads of people work there and are likely to want to go for a run/cycle from time to time biggrin

I don't think you need Strava to know where the bases are either.

As for individual people, they can just set their privacy settings to only them (or followers etc.) and not everyone...

vaud

58,179 posts

179 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
Dracoro said:
So a load of people who work at GCHQ/CIA/etc. like to do exercise locally...... Not sure how that compromised security given we know loads of people work there and are likely to want to go for a run/cycle from time to time biggrin

I don't think you need Strava to know where the bases are either.

As for individual people, they can just set their privacy settings to only them (or followers etc.) and not everyone...
Think of an overseas base, forward operating area, etc. If you can work out when and where someone regularly runs, then you have a target (thinking Iraq/Afghanistan, etc) for a mortar, etc. Also if a base goes from being dormant to being active...

Dracoro

8,999 posts

269 months

Thursday 2nd March 2023
quotequote all
vaud said:
Dracoro said:
So a load of people who work at GCHQ/CIA/etc. like to do exercise locally...... Not sure how that compromised security given we know loads of people work there and are likely to want to go for a run/cycle from time to time biggrin

I don't think you need Strava to know where the bases are either.

As for individual people, they can just set their privacy settings to only them (or followers etc.) and not everyone...
Think of an overseas base, forward operating area, etc. If you can work out when and where someone regularly runs, then you have a target (thinking Iraq/Afghanistan, etc) for a mortar, etc. Also if a base goes from being dormant to being active...
True, however for those scenarios, surely they simply tell all employees to ensure any tacking is not public (or turn off fully). Be easy to tell if any employees don't do this as the bosses can check on Strava biggrin