Researchers drove a NIO ES8 electric SUV deep into a Norwegian underground mine specifically to sever its external connections. The car kept attempting to reach servers, most of them located in China. These findings echo broader concerns about hidden data collection, similar to how a surveillance app was built to covertly target users without their knowledge.

That finding sits at the center of Project Lion Cage, a multi-year study initiated in 2022 by Tor Indstøy, a risk management and threat intelligence executive at Telenor Group. Indstøy purchased the NIO ES8 as a dedicated research platform.

The project arrives as Chinese EV brands expand across European markets with assurances about local data processing. Observed network behavior appears to contradict those assurances.

  • GMac@feddit.org
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    2 days ago

    Chinese ev bus behaves like every John Deere tractor, Tesla, amazon ring doorbell, windows pc, mac, smart tv, iphone and android device , and probably every other car made since 2020.

    “But China bad” is getting pretty old and frail in comparison to the domestic and international predations and privacy invasions of US tech businesses and government

    • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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      24 hours ago

      “But China bad” is getting pretty old and frail in comparison to the domestic and international predations and privacy invasions of US tech businesses and government

      ah, the “DON’T CRITICIZE CHINA” is getting even fucking older and frailer in comparison.

      Especially when it says right in the article that its doing the exact opposite of what was promised.

      Which, if any other countries product was doing that, you’d have a fit over it and not be sitting there going having a big whinge fest about the unfair persecution.

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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        17 hours ago

        DON’T CRITICIZE CHINA

        We put a machine with a radio in a room and the radio continued to try and function.

        This is why we cannot import low priced, high quality foreign made electric engines.

        if any other countries product was doing that, you’d have a fit

        Why? It’s the same tired story, used to scare people who know nothing about communications technology. It’s all about making “Buy American” a national security issue.

        If Brazil or Italy or even the dreaded Russia was being accused of this, why wouldn’t we stare sideways?

        its doing the exact opposite of what was promised

        I mean, remind me again why I’m trusting autos.yahoo.com on their reporting? Isn’t Yahoo a subsidiary of Apollo Global Management, a company with deep ties to the Epstein human trafficking cartel?

        • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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          16 hours ago

          We put a machine with a radio in a room and the radio continued to try and function.

          This is why we cannot import low priced, high quality foreign made electric engines.

          In a way that they promised it wouldnt.

          Which is kind of the important thing all you tankies seem to be willfully overlooking.

          Why? It’s the same tired story, used to scare people who know nothing about communications technology. It’s all about making “Buy American” a national security issue.

          If Brazil or Italy or even the dreaded Russia was being accused of this, why wouldn’t we stare sideways?

          If anyone else was promising device would do X, and did Y instead, it would also be a cause for concern. Regardless of who did it.

          If it was brazil, or Italy, you wouldnt be having this same tantrum over calling them out, as you are over calling out Dear China.

          I mean, remind me again why I’m trusting autos.yahoo.com on their reporting? Isn’t Yahoo a subsidiary of Apollo Global Management, a company with deep ties to the Epstein human trafficking cartel?

          he says, while having a tantrum over no one taking china, a notorious angel state that totally doesnt do horrific shit, at its word of being a good boy.

            • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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              9 hours ago

              No,thats just a poor attempt to shift the narrative away from your tantruming and away from China so you can shut down critical discussion.

        • phx@lemmy.world
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          15 hours ago

          Yeah I’d be more interested in what it’s sending. Go into a mine with your smartphone (or just an LG TV) and it’ll be continually reaching out as well… but WHAT it’s trying to receive or transmit is important.

        • bandanawearingbanana@lemmy.world
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          11 hours ago

          It’s all about making “Buy American” a national security issue.

          It absolutely is a national security issue!

          It’s not exclusive to the US, either. It’s even worse when you use American digital services outside the US. I live in Europe and it is especially bad because we have very strong privacy laws and require companies which offer digital services to have their servers in Europe.

      • GMac@feddit.org
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        17 hours ago

        Never said they were doung the right thing, just pointing out that if the behaviour warrants complaint, then complaint shoud be levied agaisnt everyone behaving that way.

        But hey, you keep on with your black and white opinions.

        • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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          16 hours ago

          Yes, exactly.

          And theres been extensive coverage of western cars spying and doing nasty stuff.

          But we get a news story about Chinese cars, who promised local data processing, still trying to connect back to chinese servers, and suddenly the tankie hands start wringing about people being so mean to poor poor china.

          because we can be big mean to western states, but we can’t be factual about poor poor china. thats just racist.

          • GMac@feddit.org
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            15 hours ago

            Your arguments would carry more weight and might even be worth debating if you could make them objectively without attempts at petty insults, and pretentions of victimhood. As it stands, you’re just kinda predictable and boring. Moving on…

    • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      A couple things, you are absolutely correct about the hypocrisy. All modern major manufacturers are doing the same thing. Calling out China without mentioning this is definitely a disservice.

      On the invasion of privacy through spying, China is undoubtedly the worst followed by the US and Russia.

      When it comes international predations I think you are correct. The US is the worst. Russia next then Israel and China. France and Germany probably fit in here somewhere as well with the selling of arms around the world.

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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        17 hours ago

        China is undoubtedly the worst followed by the US and Russia.

        I doubt it. Russia doesn’t have the infrastructure or the manpower to compete with a modern surveillance state. And the US doesn’t operate alone, it’s part of the Five Eyes network, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Nevermind NISRF.

        Part of what makes the US network horrifying is how many other countries are blithely along for the ride.

      • SapphironZA@sh.itjust.works
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        1 day ago

        Your ranking is missing the top spot. Here is the revised list

        1. US corporations
        2. Chinese government
        3. US government …
        • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          I think the damage US corporations have done is truly unparalleled. When it comes to big tech China still pales in comparison in the Western world. That is until you consider Tik Tok, which is the most influential of social media for the under 30 market. Is Tik Tok really a bad influence or better or worse than something like Facebook is very debatable as well.

          • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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            17 hours ago

            That is until you consider Tik Tok

            Wasn’t the big concern with TikTok entirely around how people were talking about the Palestine Genocide while US controlled social media had effectively blacked it out?

            • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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              16 hours ago

              Lol probably, Tik Tok is also a lot different for the American audience. Things that would never be allowed in China, especially for young adults, are permitted in the US. Of course you could argue they are just doing what US companies do in the free for all that is social media.

          • SapphironZA@sh.itjust.works
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            1 day ago

            I would argue that Tiktok would not have such an outsized effect if US corporations had not turned people into wage slaves.

        • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          It is a matter of opinion of course, but the amount of surveillance, firewalls, and censorship combined with the fact that it is mostly state sponsored really puts China in its own category.

          Certainly the US has caused much more overall harm on a global scale though.

        • Lumisal@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          They are, but only if you’re using their products and live there. China has a bigger hold on China.

          USA has a bigger hold globally, but spying to a slightly lesser degree.

          USA wants to catch up to China on the local level though, and are definitely trying hard. But they didn’t set up the camera infrastructure in time.

      • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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        24 hours ago

        A couple things, you are absolutely correct about the hypocrisy. All modern major manufacturers are doing the same thing.

        and theres been tons of coverage about that, and how it can be used against you.

        To pretend theres radio silence on it, and this is all just being big mean to china is the real hypocrisy.

    • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      1 day ago

      Yeah, I was just going to say, I honestly don’t really care if the Chinese government knows where my car is.

        • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          24 hours ago

          No. The Chinese government has no power over me. It has nothing to do with "doing anything wrong, "

          I couldn’t care less if the Chinese government sees my car “doing something wrong” (whatever the fuck that even means in this context. Parking somewhere I’m not supposed to?). I’m not Chinese and have never been to China.

          I’ll worry more about my own government’s very real creation of a dystopic surveillance state right here at home.

            • MBech@feddit.dk
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              15 hours ago

              At this point, with literally every single company out there selling everything from my IP, to my toenail size to the lowest bidder, is there really anything left to sell?

              I’m not saying we shouldn’t fight for privacy, I’m saying for all practical purposes, we’ve already lost the fight. That’s not a reason to not keep trying though.

            • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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              19 hours ago

              But his perfect, wonderful china would never do that! Its only the vile, evil, western countries that do such vile evil things!

      • GMac@feddit.org
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        17 hours ago

        Assuming you are in a western nation, There is a degree of legitimacy to be taken with the fact that China are far less capable of weaponising that data against you personally, than the US