Apps are mostly infected with two types of malware. allows hackers to access private photos, messages and contacts. Lookout, a San Francisco-based cybersecurity firm, plans to publish its findings Thursday.

what is known

Different types of malware have targeted Uyghurs for cyberespionage for nearly a decade, but the new campaigns are much broader in scope and complexity, researcher Christina Balaam said. She said the new malware is hiding in more programs than before and is more difficult to detect.

This is all because Google Play is blocked for users in China infected apps are downloaded from third-party stores or APK files, Telegram, social networks etc. These apps include Uyghur dictionaries, translators and keyboards that allow users to type in Uyghur, battery managers, video players, radio, GPS, religious texts, and more.

In the case of one of the viruses – Moonshine – at least it was possible to detect 637 cases of infection. For others, such statistics are not available.

What does Beijing say?

Tracing is common in China. Beijing has repeatedly denied allegations of mistreatment of Uighurs, but today journalists are aware of the numerous concentration camps where Uyghurs are held. reported about More than one million people subjected to forced abortion, sterilization, rape, torture, forced labor, beatings, propaganda etc.

“We are against savage speculation and malicious insults against China,” said Liu Pengui, spokesman for China’s embassy in Washington, adding that the country opposes “any kind of cyberattack.”